Town councillors have issued a vote of no confidence in Wiltshire Council after an “appalling” decision that puts a community centre’s future “at risk.”

Malmesbury Town Council says a row over the future of the Riverside Community Centre on Gloucester Road, which also houses an indoor skate park, is “the final straw.”

At a recent meeting, town councillors vented their anger after becoming increasingly frustrated at planning decisions made by Wiltshire Council.

The most recent issue revolves around the future of the community centre, which is privately owned and leased to Wiltshire Council, despite being run by Friends of Riverside Centre.

The future of the well-used and volunteer-run centre has been thrown into doubt after Wiltshire Council reportedly decided to exercise an early exit clause, meaning it will not continue with the lease after Spring 2026.

Wiltshire Council confirmed it is considering withdrawing its involvement but emphasised that formal notice has not yet been served.

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Cllr Steve D’Arcy who chairs the town council policy and resources committee, says the town council has been asked to take on the financial burden of the centre.

He said: “This is a valuable community facility used by many groups including social clubs for the elderly, activity sessions for toddlers, and exercise and interest classes for everyone as well as the NHS and Police on occasions.

“Behind the scenes, we’ve asked Cllr Clewer why this successful centre is now under threat, and he has told us that Wiltshire Council wants Malmesbury Town Council to take on this responsibility. 

“It has offered to pay the rent for the community centre only up to February 2025 if Malmesbury Town Council then takes on the long-term lease and the responsibilities which go with running and maintaining it as a local asset.”

Cllr D’Arcy believes the cost of taking on these responsibilities would be too much for the town council.

He labelled the decision to “abandon” the facility an “appalling” move by the council.

Cllr D’Arcy added: “We are utterly appalled at Wiltshire Council’s decision concerning this very important community resource, its implications for local residents and the extra costs it is seeking to impose on local council taxpayers.

“We know the owner of the building would like it to remain as a community centre but the cost of maintaining, or even buying the building and paying staff wages would be a significant additional overhead for the town.

“With the extra income Wiltshire Council will receive from new house builds in Malmesbury, there can be no justification for abandoning this support to our growing community”

Cllr Richard Clewer, leader of Wiltshire Council, insists that the current arrangement is “not viable” in the long term, partly because of a “challenging” financial context for councils.

He added that the council is keen to find alternative ways of keeping the centre open.

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He said: “We recognise the work that takes place at the Riverside Community Centre, but this continues to be a challenging and unpredictable time for local authority finances.

“Therefore, we are considering bringing our involvement in this unique lease agreement of the Riverside Centre to an end, though formal notice has not yet been served.

“This is the only facility funded by us in this way and while that in itself is not a reason to end the lease agreement, this arrangement is not viable for the long-term.

“We have provided as much informal notice as we can, so that conversations can take place to look at the options available.

“We remain keen to find a sustainable solution and welcome further conversations with the relevant local stakeholders.”