I feel I must comment upon Cllr Osborne’s latest ‘man of the people and saviour of Trowbridge’ type letter regarding the Town Hall (March 27).

As some readers may remember I was a longstanding member of the Town Council Project Group which oversaw the evolution of the architect’s design, together with the associated business plan and costs forecast, all of which received supportive (if not definite, at that time) approval from the Heritage Lottery Fund authorities.

These proposals were regularly reported to council, were eventually debated in an open meeting with electors making their views known, and the approval to go ahead was taken by a democratic vote, 12 in favour, eight against.

Following this stage the 2007 local elections took place, and, despite the above vote, determined opposition to the project continued within the new council, together with (possibly) a covert policy to undermine the next stage of the project, the application for the planning grant from the HLF.

Allied to this was the inference that the Government was “raiding” the HLF to assist the Olympic Games funding and as a result the initial grant application was rejected. It appears that, faced with this and a noticeable lack of will from the new council, it was decided to abandon the project. The Town Hall remains the property of Wiltshire Council and continues its melancholy role as a coroner’s court.

In this it has received considerable media publicity recently, with press interviews initially using the hall’s front entrance as a backdrop.

What a sorry sight, with stained stonework, weatherbeaten doors and a less than polished letterbox. What a reflection upon Trowbridge.

I hope the new Wiltshire Council will grasp the nettle, ignore the siren voices of some councillors and invest time and money in restoring this building (to its rightful place as a centrepiece in the Transformed Trowbridge, our county town.

Gerald C Burnan OBE (former Town and District Cllr), Comfrey Close, Trowbridge