the thatched tied cottages to the south, razing most and leaving the remainder ruined. The Old Rectory was rebuilt under a tiled roof, and is now one of the village's more substantial houses. The cottages were removed and are now replaced by small number of residential mobile homes. Judaism Although John Burgess asserted (without evidence) that a community of Jews settled in the East Side of the village shortly before 1405, this cannot be true as there were no Jewish communities present in England at that time. Governance Durrington has its own fifteen-member parish council with responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, Wiltshire Council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with Wiltshire Council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council. In 2008, the parish council voted to unilaterally declare itself a town council. This did not affect its functions or powers. The civil parish also forms the ward of Durrington & Larkhill in the unitary authority of Wiltshire, which has the wider responsibility for providing services such as education, refuse collection, and tourism. The ward is currently represented by independent Councillor Graham Wright. It is also part of the Devizes parliamentary constituency, represented by Danny Kruger, a Conservative. Geography The development of the village throughout the 20th century has been shaped by the presence of the military in the area. Through this, the parish population has grown to that of a town, mainly due to the presence of the Larkhill military camp. However, the lack of a cohesive infrastructure means that this cannot be considered an urban development. The civil parish covers 2,696 acres (1,091 hectares), and has long east-west and short north-south axes, stretching from the downs west of the River Avon to the watershed of the Avon and Till rivers in the east. Most of it is chalk downland, but there is some alluvial gravel deposited around the river. The village was formerly in two parts based