Following Wiltshire Council’s announcement that Bradford on Avon would be removed from the community campus programme, Jim Lynch from the town’s Community Area Network says he is still hopeful that an alternative will be found.

Mr Lynch has been heavily involved in three years of work on the project by the community area network, community operations board and community area managers.

He now says BoACAN and the COB hope to work with the council to acheieve something that meets the town’s needs.

He said: “We have publicly sold the idea of a campus to our community and not only does Wiltshire Council lose creditability but so do we.”

Cllr Jonathon Brown, chairman of the town’s COB, asked the cabinet meeting last week what future plans for Bradford entail as well as where the town stands in the council’s priorities. He said: “We have a compelling need for improved leisure, arts, heritage and community facilities. Public expectations have been raised by consultations in the town, encouraged by the council.”

Mr Lynch agreed he was initially dismayed at the decision. He said: “There have been talks of turning the campus into a community hub, meaning that we will have to settle for a couple of rooms with a few computers in and I think that is an insult to Bradford on Avon.”