THE long-term plan for Salisbury's economic development will be managed by a number of different agencies working together, Wiltshire Council has said.

The announcement comes after the council withdrew its funding from Salisbury Vision, which officially stopped operating last Thursday.

Salisbury Business Improvement District (BID) will work alongside the Salisbury Area Board, Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership , Salisbury City Council and Wiltshire Council to produce a focused approach to the city’s economic success.

It comes after the Vision funding was scrapped last month by Wiltshire Council which led to the organisation being voting to be formally dissolved last Thursday. The council said the Vision board could have chosen to seek alternative funding but instead opted to disband.

Fleur de Rhe-Philipe, cabinet member with responsibility for economic development, said: “These agencies are working in a strong partnership to ensure Salisbury continues to flourish economically.

"We’re grateful to all those involved with the Vision for their work over the years.”

Despite the sudden end to funding, the Vision board had not met in public for more than a year.

It was set up to promote projects including the redevelopment of the Maltings and central car park and the Churchfields industrial estate.

Chairman of the Salisbury Area Board Ricky Rogers said that the Vision had been a "fiasco" since Sir Christopher Benson resigned as chairman in 2013 and that it had lost public support.

Mr Rogers said more than half the new board's members would be elected councillors.

“It is up to us to get together and see how we can make things happen.”

BID business manager Steve Godwin from the added that although the group would not have the same funding as the Vision, he hoped the different agencies could work together for the benefit of the city.

He said: “If you are going to make improvements to the city it is important we have a future plan.”