Page 6 - link magazine

THE CANDIDATES

The following presentations have been made by the candidates standing for
election. The views expressed are those of the contributors and have not
been edited. They should not been considered as the views of the Toothill
Link/Freshbrook Focus Community Newspaper.

Labour Party

GEOFF MADISON 24; Married; Address 3 Icomb Close, Toothill, tel. 24513; Educated
St. Josephs, Swindon; Employed in Insurance; Member of T.G.W.0 Clerical Section;
Delegate to Thamesdown Labour Party; Interests in Housing and Planning issues.
MIKE MANN 31, Married, 2 children; Address 56 Stamford Close, Toothill tel.872125;
Educated Regent House Grammar School & RAF Technical Training School; Employed as
Theatre Technician, Princess Margaret Hospital; Involved with Toothill Scouts.
RICHARD MIDWINTER 24; Married, 1 child; Address 29 Icomb Close, Toothill tel.43791;
Educated Park Senior High, Swindon; Employed as Fitter/Wireman; Member of EEPTU;
Involved with West Swindon Age Concern, Secretary of Amenities Committee, keen
interest in community development
The Swindon expansion area of Toothill, Freshbrook and Westlea has until now been
administered by the Tory controlled North Wilts District Council. A Conservative
District and County Councillor represents you. Now we are moving into Thamesdown.
You have an opportunity to vote for people to join the Labour team on that Council.
Your rates (council rents include an element of rates) have in the past gone to North
Wilts, now they will go to Thamesdown - what did Conservative North Wilts do with
your rates — look around you, what services did they provide? We know that Thamesdown
Council have been blamed by many for the shortcomings we find within our area, in
future the blame will really lie there. We are proud to stand as Labour candidates in
the forthcoming election. We do not intend to make idle promises.
We all know that this Conservative Government supported by Conservatives on Thames—
down Council wish and intend to reduce every type of service wherever they can. This
expanding area must have facilities the same as other areas within Thamesdown. We
will, if elected, work for this. We wish to see a dynamic community, one in which
everybody will be proud to live in. We do not pretend that we know all the needs of
the people and to this end, like other Labour councillors, we will hold regular
monthly surgeries so that you can put your point of view and bring up problems that
might be effecting you or your locality. Lighting within Freshbrook and Westlea needs
urgent attention as do other parts of the environment.
Thamesdown has always sold certain houses but like other Labour members we do not
agree that Central Government should dictate to your local council on this. We are
opposed to the selling of council houses from the housing stock as this reduces
housing for those most in need. We must think of the coming generation who, like many
of you, will find that private sector housing immediately on marriage is beyond the
purse or wallet. Many now living in private housing started in Council houses and
would wish there to be such housing available to their children; if we sell the
present stock off then in a few years there will be no housing for those in need. We
do agree with the Council building houses for sale and the provision of Council
mortgages - the Government has made this extremely difficult because of the policies
that they have adopted. We wish to see everybody irrespective of their means living
in good accommodation whether in the private or public sector. Central Government
policy has forced rents up by £3.80 per week to both Thamesdown tenants and throughout
the country. High interest charges will impose additional increases.

Many of the complaints and problems which arise cannot be put right by Thamesdown,
they are the responsibility of other organisations and the County Council. We will
work with County Councillors especially on Education in the interest of all. The
Conservative controlled County Council have ignored the wishes and desires of residents
in respect of schooling and we will press them and the County Councillors to listen and
take note. Through the Community Health Council we will try and bring pressure so that
better health services are provided as this area expands. Postal and Telephone
services are dealt with by another body, again we will put pressure upon them to serve
the community. Our senior citizens have quite justifiably complained that they have
not been entitled to concessionary fares on the buses as others within Thamesdown are;
Conservatives have always opposed these, in some parts of the country they are even
taking away what is at present in being. April 1st, 1981 sees the whole of the
expansion area's senior citizens getting this concession and we will oppose any cuts
in this service should it come before the Council.
We trust that this will give a small indication of what we aim for if elected. We ask
you not to stay at home on Election Day 19th March 1981 - spend a few minutes of your
time and Vote for the Labour team of Geoff Madison, Mike Mann and Richard Midwinter.