Villagers hit out over "town" mistake (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Villagers in Bourton-on-the-Water and South Cerney have hit out at Cotswold District Council after they were labelled as towns in Cotswold News

4:00pm Friday 14th September 2012 in News By Ian Craig

ANGRY parish councillors have hit out at Cotswold District Council after a village was incorrectly labelled as a market town.

At last week’s meeting of Bourton-on-the-Water Parish Council, residents and councillors were up in arms that their village had been incorrectly labelled in the most recent edition of Cotswold News, a newsletter sent to every home in the region.

Parish council chairman Bryan Sumner said the mistake made on page seven of the leaflet, which details CDC’s plans for development across the region, could prove extremely damaging for the village.

“We do not have a charter market and we do not have a mayor,” he said. “We are a village and that is how it is.

“We’ve always considered ourselves a village and as far as I know there’s no plans to do otherwise.”

District Cllr Sheila Jeffery (Con, Bourton-on-the-Water) said she agreed it was important the village was correctly labelled as such.

“I have never referred to it as a town and I wouldn’t say it is one,” she said.

“I think an apology is called for.”

The mistake was replicated in South Cerney, which was labelled as a small town rather than a village.

Parish council chairman Mike Stuart said residents were bemused to see their village had been re-branded.

“Most people have laughed about it – there’s no aggression about it,” he said.

“It ain't a town and it ain't going to be a town.”

CDC spokesman Bob McNally apologised for the oversight, and assured residents they should not be concerned the council was planning on 're-branding' settlements for the purposes of development.

"The map in the council newsletter classifying settlements across the district was taken from an earlier draft planning document," he said. "We can assure residents that future documentation relating to the Core Strategy will be more accurate."