Town council pledges to increase and maintain support for mini-country park project

THE town council has responded to concern that it is not “upholding” an agreement to evenly split administration work related to Melksham’s mini country park, Shurnhold Fields, with the parish council.

Staff shortages at the town council in 2020 has been explained as the reason why it was unable to match Melksham Without Parish Council’s support of the project.

But the town council has offered reassurance that it is now pulling its weight.

In response to a question from a member of the public at last week’s full town council meeting, which asked why the town council wasn’t upholding its end of the agreement to split administration work for the project 50/50, assistant to the town clerk, Pasty Clover, explained, “The issue with Shurnhold Fields last year was primarily that the town council had a shortage of staff throughout the year – as we were understaffed and then two members of staff were suspended – meaning that we simply didn’t have the admin capacity. 

“Since the start of 2021, we have been doing more than our 50% share of admin work for Shurnhold Fields, and we’ll seek to maintain at least 50%.”

Both Melksham Town Council and Melksham Without Parish Council launched the Shurnhold Fields project in 2018 as a joint venture.

However, as reported in the Melksham News, at a Melksham Without Parish Council meeting, some parish councillors commented that support for the project had become “one-sided”.

“We (the parish council) have carried out 95% of the workload,” said chair of the parish council, cllr Richard Wood, “and it’s a joint enterprise.”