Devizes Development Partnership, which has spearheaded improvements in the town over the past 14 years, could forced to close because of a cash crisis.

Coun Sarah Bridewell told Devizes Town Council last week that, due to lack of funds, the partnership could fold at the end of the summer.

With the end of the town centre manager post and the possible mothballing of the CCTV system, two of DDP’s biggest successes, there would be little reason for it to continue.

Peter Lay, who has been chairman for nine years, said: “As we have lost the ability to employ a town centre manager and run projects like the CCTV systems, you have to ask if there is any point in continuing.

“We have a charity arm but many of the people in that and the functions it carries out are duplicated by Devizes Carnival.

“So it would make sense to amalgamate those two organisations.

“Then you have to ask, what is there left for DDP to do? It may be that we could keep it as a shell vehicle, which will come back into use when we emerge from this period of austerity.”

The fate of DDP is very much bound up with that of the CCTV system. When first set up it was jointly funded by Devizes Town Council and Kennet District Council, each agreeing to contribute £11,000 a year towards its running costs.

When Kennet disappeared into the unitary Wiltshire Council in 2009, the new authority said it could no longer afford to support the scheme.

DDP have approached businesses, hoping that 100 would each agree to contribute £100 a year.

So far only ten companies have responded and CCTV manager Noel Woolrych will be sending out more letters this week warning that, if enough money is not acquired, the system will be dismantled.

Mr Woolrych said: “According to a recent survey, 75 per cent of local people believe CCTV is a good thing, and it is a shame that the shops haven’t contributed.”

Mr Lay said: “I remain optimistic that we will save the CCTV system and therefore DDP will have a reason to continue.”

The DDP committee is to meet on August 8 to review the future of CCTV and, by extension, the future of DDP itself.

DDP was set up in 1997 by Kennet District Council as one of the local economic partnerships it required to release government grant aid for projects.