I seemed to have caused some unrest with my opposition colleagues Coun Terry Chivers and Coun Chris Caswill when considering, and bringing forward, the start time of the northern area planning committee to 3pm from 6pm.

These meetings are only held once every three weeks when Wiltshire Council members bring applications to the committee that are opposing the planning officers’ recommendations. These planning applications can be controversial, and the public are welcome to come along and speak for, or against, any application that may affect them or others living close by.

It has been said that the public would now find it difficult to attend a daytime meeting, but the last two meetings have shown a marked increase in the public’s attendance.

I do not feel that we are letting the public down in their right to speak by holding meetings at a more convenient time for everybody.

The new start time of 3pm is considered now to be in line with the successful daytime meetings of the western area planning committee and the strategic planning meetings which have been held for many years at 10.30am with no outcry. Unfortunately, I have been misquoted by inferring that: “Councillors are too tired to attend evening meetings.”

I did infer that the hard-working planning officers attending those meetings work tirelessly beyond their normal working hours as we have been known to meet until well after 9pm and sometimes later.

As a long-standing Wiltshire and Calne town councillor I can prove that I care, and yes, like those councillors mentioned who also get an allowance, I do get an additional responsibility allowance for the 37 hours a week that I am accredited with, and I will still work tirelessly for our Wiltshire ethos: ‘Where everybody matters’.

Coun Tony Trotman, Chairman of northern area planning committee.