22/12/09 - Ward Report - St Margaret

Happy New Year 2010

It feels like tempting providence, but here’s wishing everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Heaven knows, 2009 wasn’t a great year for so many people and we hope they can begin to find their feet again this year. Even the good things seemed to bring out Captain and Mrs Misery. An instance was the nice young lady who put a good entry into the Disney competition to promote her town - and won it. Congratulations – who on earth could possibly complain about that!? (Quite a few, apparently!)

Swindon’s Budget and Council Tax setting

Mark Edwards, as Cabinet Member for Finance and Benefits, and his colleagues have been very busy setting the draft Swindon Borough Council Budget for 2010/11, which has been published so that you may comment on it as part of the consultation process. Please visit www.swindong.gov.uk/budget2010 for more details and send your comments to budgetproposals@swindon.gov.uk.

Pressures are such that no stone can be left unturned. Even some of our favourite charity organisations have had to be examined. This has to be done and we believe you would expect it of us to find savings where we can. Be assured there is no desire to cut or curtail essential services. We have expected our officers to find savings every year since we took over the Administration of the Borough from Labour and the situation is more difficult this year than it has ever been. Even the best run Departments or Organisations have to be looked at. Council Tax payers cannot be expected to keep footing ever increasing bills. We have much reduced income from investment interest and development fees and now have the additional burden of increased National Insurance costs to contend with.

Council Performance

One of the most important measures of Council performance is the Comprehensive Area Assessment, which is carried out by the Audit Commission, to ensure we are delivering good results. We are delighted that we have now moved up to a grade three (“performing well”). This is amazing, considering how poorly rated we were just four or five years ago under the previous Administration. No room for complacency, however; we must move on to increase our range of “excellent” scores, so that the overall rating moves to the top bracket, despite the financial restraints.

Wi-Fi

Your ward councillors will be using the Swindon “Wi-Fi hotspot”, especially whilst on the move in Stratton. The Borough had the opportunity of joining with local entrepreneurs to pilot the scheme, which could be developed worldwide. There’s no charge for the basic service, but obviously, we’re hoping residents will find the venture's charges for higher speed upgrades competitive by comparison with broadband suppliers. The new system also lends itself to such technology as Home Security and I can think of uses the Social Services and Libraries, for instance, might be able to put this to. The service should be available to all by April. Log on to http://www.getsignal.co.uk/ to be updated.

Railway trespassers

Residents will be aware of the enormous danger posed to trains passing through Stratton, from objects thrown over railway bridges and to the idiotic youngsters themselves who trespass on the line. Police Officers, PCSOs and Rail officials were on hand recently at the Sandgate footbridge to raise awareness of young people to the dangers involved. If you see any misdemeanours like this, or indeed any such crime, report it to the Neighbourhood Policing Team on 0845 408 7000.

Ermin Street Bus Gate

An exhibition will be held at GrangeInfant School on Saturday, 30th January, from 10am to 4pm, to outline proposals for corrections to the stretch of

Ermin Street
lying to the South of the school. It’s difficult to believe this was part of the busy A419 only a few decades ago. Your ward councillors have not necessarily supported making the investment in this work, which is being looked at to accommodate ease of running bus services. The date coincides with our January Surgery and we will therefore offer a reduced service at
Grange Drive
so that we can be represented at GrangeInfant School, between 10am and noon.

Surgery/Police

As mentioned above, our next Surgery will be at Grange Drive Community Centre on Saturday 30th January and the last Saturday of each month, from 10am until noon. Police Community Support Officers will be on hand whenever available.