I WOULD like to thank all those in Devizes North who came out to vote in last Thursday’s by-election. Another election, so soon after the town and unitary elections in May and the General Election in June, was the last thing anyone wanted but it was encouraging to see that almost 900 people came out to cast their ballot.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank those volunteers who came out to deliver leaflets and stood for long periods at the town hall meeting those who came out to vote.

Thanks should also be given to Wiltshire Councils Electoral Services team who spent the entire day in the Cheese Hall registering the votes and then counting them afterwards. It was a long day and a tough job but they executed it professionally and with great skill.

My final thanks go to my fellow candidates, Chris Gay and Laura Naylor, for making this election such a tough race.

I wish Councillor Gay well and I hope Laura will continue, as will I, to hold the town council to account and ensure that it is a council which serves as well as preserves.

Finally, I would like to say that while I wasn’t successful in my aim to bring some much-needed balance to the town council, I did enjoy the process of meeting many of the people in Devizes North and learning about the issues which were most important to them, some of which are already on their way to being solved by my Conservative colleagues serving as town and unitary councillors.

IAIN WALLIS

Forty Acres Road

Devizes