Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Wiltshire County Council in a minority of one, again.
Conservative councillors Peter Doyle and Mollie Groom will put a motion before North Wiltshire Council to join the other three Wiltshire districts in calling for a judicial review over the imposition of a unitary council for Wiltshire.

Graham Payne, Leader of West Wiltshire District Council, together with Cllr. Rod Eaton, the portfolio holder for the changeover, made the following statement: "We wholeheartedly welcome the motion proposed by Cllr. Doyle for North Wiltshire to join the rest of the districts in calling for a judicial review on the Government's decision to impose a unitary structure on Wiltshire."

Cllr. Eaton added: "The decision, of course, rests entirely with the North Wiltshire elected members and we sincerely hope that the overwhelming weight of opinion of the people of Wiltshire - 78% according to a recent MORI poll commissioned by Kennet and West Wiltshire councils - will carry the day for this motion to succeed. The majority of town and parish councils in Wiltshire also oppose the unitary restructuring."

If successful, the motion will see all four district councils in Wiltshire moving together to reverse the Government's unitary decision on the county's future by means of a judicial review.