It's your party

And with the label comes the predictable adverse publicity.

Since the Evening Advertiser revealed last week that party organisers in Stratton St Margaret were landed with a bill for £855 to cover the cost of closing their road for the jubilee, Swindon Council has been roundly labelled as the South West's party poopers.

People in Stratton aren't the only ones with a hole in their pockets.

In Highworth, the town council was told it would cost more than £1,000 to set up diversions for one day.

But while the inflated charges have put a dampener on Golden Jubilee celebrations in Swindon, surrounding areas are enjoying the support of their local authorities.

Portsmouth City Council has not only waived all the road-closure fees for more than 70 street parties. It is even paying for public liability insurance and providing trestle tables and all for just £10,000.

Reading Borough Council has also waived the usual road-closure fees and provided community grants to pay for barriers and diversion signs for 13 street parties.

It is the same story in Oxford where no charges are being made Oxfordshire County Council is providing diversion signs and asking only for a small deposit.

Elsewhere in Wiltshire, outside Swindon, party organisers don't appear to be paying anything either.

The district councils are making no charges and neither is the county council for drawing up diversion routes.

Party organisers are being asked to provide their own diversion signs which can be rented from contractors or from the AA.

But they still seem to be paying a lot less to party than in Swindon.

In Marlborough the High Street is being closed off for what is expected to be one of the biggest tea parties in the county catering for more than 1,000 children.

Nigel Kerton, who is on the organising committee, said: "We are not paying anything. We had to go through Kennet District Council for the road closure. It normally charges £300 or £400 but it waived it this time.

"The signs are being made available to us by the county council. I didn't think any councils were making a charge."

Devizes Town Council said that it was not expecting to pay anything for its street party road closure either

Spokesman Steve Brennan said that the Lions Club is putting the road closure signs out and is borrowing them from a nearby depot of council contractors Ringway Parkman.

So far there have been 22 applications for road closures in Swindon so that street parties can be held to celebrate the queen's Golden Jubilee on Bank Holiday Monday, June 3.

Last month Swindon Council voted to waive only a £50 administration fee but not other charges levied for Jubilee party road closures.

Lead member for Environ-mental Service Jemima Milton (Wroughton and Chiseldon, Con) said that the council, which increased council tax charges by 15 per cent to balance its budget, simply cannot afford to pay for road closures.

She said: "Street parties are not something which we have a budget for.

"The Ermin Street residents have been advised that if they moved their party it would cost less for the road closure.

"I'm really sad there isn't the money available but we have to balance our finances."