CHEPSTOW Town Council will hand over the organisation of a future royal event to the community, after it was criticised for not putting up street decorations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Several residents and traders have expressed their disappointment at the lack of action.

Professor Brian Durden, of Welsh Street, said he was disgusted at the failure to display decorations during the Jubilee weekend, while Chepstow Chamber of Commerce members raised the issue that the town had made little effort compared to other places in Monmouthshire.

But councillors at last week’s monthly town council meeting hit back.

Several said they were unhappy some residents believed the council anti-royalist, despite it supporting two events as part of the celebrations.

These were the Diamond Discs Hit Parade and the lighting of the beacon at Chepstow Rugby Club.

Cllr Hilary Beech said if residents were unhappy with the council, they could help organise future events. “As a council, we might say perhaps we didn’t put up enough bunting, but we did arrange a number of events.

What I would like to propose is a working group of people who want to put on something to celebrate the anniversary of the coronation,” she said.

Cllr Peter Farley said he didn’t like the way the council had been branded ‘anti-royalist’.

“We may have missed a trick, but the idea there is an agenda going on is wholly misplaced,”

he said.

Councillors voted for a working group to be set up to lead celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation in 2013.