Marlborough business leaders received a hostile reception when they asked for £5,000 of public money for the town’s CCTV project this week.
Representatives from Marlborough Chamber of Commerce put their case to Marlborough Area Board, which had already pledged – in principle – the £5,000 grant back in January 2013.
The organisation had been told to apply again when plans by Marlborough Town Council – the project leader – had been finalised.
The grant is to be the Chamber of Commerce’s contribution to the overall £25,000 cost of the project. The organisation has also garnered cash pledges from individual members.
But what should have been a box-ticking exercise turned to hostility, as Chamber president Alex Minoudis was admonished by several members of the public demanding that businesses – not taxpayers – pick up the bill.
Mr Minoudis told the meeting: “This is a high profile project and the Chamber originally applied for a grant in 2013, which was supported in principle by the board, but we were asked for the bid to be held back until the town council had a firm CCTV plan in place.
“That plan is now in place and so we are now reapplying in the hope that the board continues to support the plan for CCTV in Marlborough High Street.
“The Chamber does not have the funds to support the project financially, but is willing to support it in other ways.
“Last autumn, we helped to gauge the level of support in the high street and a full consultation has subsequently been undertaken with 64 percent of 456 respondents supporting CCTV.
“CCTV is not the answer to all security and safety problems, but it will form part of an overall package in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, in turn benefitting retailers and locals alike.”
But amid unprecedented scenes of heckling and booing, a visibly shaken Area Board chairman, councillor Jemima Milton, called for a vote on the matter from the floor – a move that only served to exacerbate the problem when the board’s elected councillors discounted the vote – 18 in favour, 22 against – and awarded the grant in full.
Wiltshire councillors Stewart Dobson and James Sheppard voted in favour, while Jemima Milton abstained.
Area Board rules state that elected councillors can call for a vote from the floor to guide them in the decision-making process, but are not obliged to vote accordingly.
One member of the public said: “I am appalled that the Chamber of Commerce is asking for funding for this ill-conceived pet project,” while another said: “These grants are meant for people who are doing voluntary work, not for those with commercial interests.”
Marlborough town clerk Shelley Parker was forced to jump to the Chamber’s defence, reminding the meeting: “We conducted a public consultation exercise and 64 percent of the 456 people who responded were in favour of CCTV.”
And councillor Stewart Dobson, a proponent of the CCTV scheme, said: “It is unfair for people to think that CCTV will only be of benefit to traders. The town council has consulted widely and taken professional advice. The whole scheme has been looked at throughly.”
After the meeting, Mr Minoudis told Marlborough News Online: “Marlborough Chamber of Commerce is a community organisation run by volunteers to preserve and support the economic vitality of the town.
“The vote from the floor was unnecessary, and created a false expectation for those present.
“While we are grateful for the grant, it is a pity we were not given more than 60 seconds to put our case, and to address the concerns expressed by some members of the community.”
Elsewhere community grants totalling almost £22,000 were nodded through. They included:
- Broad Hinton Village Hall – contribution towards solar panels. £5,000
- Kennet Valley Hall, Lockeridge – installation of new computer controlled booking and access system. £800
- RAMPAIG, Ramsbury – contribution towards upgrading play equipment. £5,000
- Aldbourne Parish Council – commemorative mugs for participants in the 50th anniversary Beating of the Bounds. £350
- Marlborough Waterfront Association – improvements to Kennet Place, Marlborough. £325
- Action for the River Kennet – contribution towards new model river equipment for schools. £2,500
- Marlborough History Society – contribution towards the cost of a Civil War reenactment on Marlborough Common. £5,000
- Marlborough Youth Football Club – contribution towards coaching course to encourage more girls to take up football. £1,274
An application for £4,500 from Ogbourne St George and St Andrew Primary School to update outdoor play facilities was awarded in part, as the grant funding pot had been exhausted. The PTA was invited to reapply for the remainder of the grant in the new financial year. £1,018.
Disclosure: The author of this article, Peter Davison, is also a committee member of Marlborough Chamber of Commerce.
