Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

The decision was only narrowly agreed by councillors on Tuesday.

After a freeze lasting eleven years, Hilperton Parish Council voted to increase its precept for a Band D property by £1-00 to £11-99.

The vote to do so was very close (5-4) and followed an interesting discussion highlighting both sides of the debate.

The intention is to use the increased income to provide new and better play equipment at the village hall for the Queen's jubilee next year and to ensure that traffic calming through the village can be installed as soon as possible once the Gap relief road is constructed (probably in 2014).