WITH great power comes great responsibility someone once said.

This is certainly true at all levels, that people in positions of authority have a responsibility to ride above criticism and behave with decency.

The factions which threaten to rip Malmesbury apart at the moment are unhealthy for the town and for the individuals at the centre of them.

But it is the fact that the town could suffer because of these arguments that readers ought to keep in mind.

A great deal of work has been done to create an idealistic planning wishlist that may well help fight off unwelcome development in the town.

There will no doubt be some critics of what this blueprint contains but it has to be remembered there is no alternative plan and without it, Malmesbury is at greater risk of speculative planning applications for house building.

Yet it is rumoured that one side of this argument are considering de-railing this planning blueprint.

This would be nothing short of spiteful and an utter scandal.

Weak characters do not tend to achieve results and while a more abrasive approach, by its very nature, will ruffle feathers and upset some quarters, it will also often achieve results.

That said, someone who puts themselves in the public eye needs to accept that there will always be critics and to accept that people are free to disagree.