WOOTTON Bassett town council has declared a vote of no confidence in Swindon Council and Wiltshire County Council over the way they handle planning matters for the town.

Councillors also want a moratorium a temporary halt on all major planning schemes in the Swindon area until proper public consultation has taken place.

They object to Wootton Bassett being included in Swindon's Structure Plan, which outlines options for development, because people have not been consulted.

They are also concerned the South West Area Mulit Modal Study (SWARRMS) report, produced by Wroughton-based Halcrow and commissioned by the South West Regional Assembly, could go straight to the Government to be accepted by the Secretary of State without the public being consulted.

The motion of no confidence was passed unanimously at a meeting of Wootton Bassett Town Council.

Coun Peter Doyle, who proposed the motion, is a town and district councillor who chairs North Wiltshire District Council's work-ing group on Wootton Bassett Local Plans.

He said: "The intention of the town council is to circulate the fact that this motion has been passed and halt all plans until they have been looked at all together.

"We want people to rally for much wider and more detailed public consultation and press the Regional Assembly, Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire County Council to deal with planning matters in a more integral way."

He plans to organise a series of public meetings in September so that people can talk about all the development proposals for the town.

North Wilts MP James Gray is supporting the town council.

He said: "Local people must have a say about what happens to their town.

"The Government, Swindon Council and the Regional Assembly are taking that right away.

"The latest step is the SWARRMS report produced by the so-called Regional Assembly. I oppose any decisions undertaken by bureau-crats in Exeter."

Coun Barrie Thompson (Lab, Parks) denies that Swindon Council is acting without consulting the people of Wootton Bassett.

He sits on the Joint Structure Plan Working Party, which is charged with the Strategic Plan.

He said officers and councillors from Swindon, Wiltshire County Council and the district councils are in the very early stages of identifying possible areas for development for the next 30 years, but stressed that no decisions have been made yet.

He said: "Wootton Bassett butts onto Swindon. You can't ignore what is on the border.

"North Wiltshire District council is also producing a plan so if Wootton Bassett is unhappy with consultation they should address North Wilts or write to us.

"We will be consulting the public but you need an outline of something first, otherwise you will be having a debate in a vacuum.

"As far as the vote of no confidence goes, they can say what they want. It won't have much effect on Swindon Council or the County Council."