VISITING dignitaries were faced with angry protestors at a black tie dinner and dance on Friday.

Trowbridge residents were outside the town's civic hall to protest at a massive hike in their council tax bills as town councillors and invited guests arrived at the annual civic event.

The 60-strong crowd held placards accusing the town council of failing to listen to the people by agreeing the 48 per cent rise in the town's precept by 13-7, to help pay for a £3m project to refurbish the town hall.

Protester Sonia DiIorio said: "An astonishing 13 out of 20 councillors placed their own opinions above those of the very people they were elected to represent. Have they forgotten that the very reason they hold their positions is due to a belief by the electorate that they will operate in their best interests?"

The issue of funding for the town hall project has split the council, with some boycotting the dinner to join protesters. Cllr Jeff Osborn was one of the seven councillors who voted against the increase, which will equate to a rise of £44.22 on the average band D property.

He said: "It was a good natured protest and I think it made a point and kept the issue out there. "It was a very cold night but far more people turned up than I expected, which shows the depth of feeling."

But organiser Ray Horan was disappointed with the turnout. He said: "I think the people of Trowbridge let themselves down. So many people have come up to me and said they don't want to pay this but it was mainly older people that turned up. "If pensioners can come out on a cold night like that then other people need to either get off their sofas and do something about it or just put up and shut up."

Some of the councillors who voted in favour of the rise arrived at the dinner early, but denied protesters' claims it was to avoid them. Cllr Angela Milroy said a meeting with a visiting delegation from Morocco was held before the dinner to discuss twinning Trowbridge with the town of Oujda.

The town council hopes to take over the running of the now disused town hall from Wiltshire County Council and convert it for public use, possibly as a register office, council offices, function room and tourist information centre. The council tax rise will raise £375,000 towards the project, leaving the council to find the remaining £2.6m, which it hopes to raise through grants and possibly a loan.

At a meeting held on Tuesday councillors voted 11-6 in favour of allowing the money to be spent on the civic hall if the town hall project does not go ahead. Town clerk Lance Allan said: "If it is not used for either of these projects it will be used to off-set against expenditure on other activities and therefore result in a reduction of the council tax."