Page 7 - link magazine

Civic Offices,
Euclid Street,
Swindon. SN1 2JH

Telephone: Swindon 26161

Dear Resident,

Notes of some of the changes affecting households in the transferred
area West of the Borough

The Borough Council provides a wide range of services and the brief
details given below are intended to bring to your attention some of
those which are of immediate interest particularly in the context of the
transfer of responsibility from one local authority to another.

Details of all services can of course, be obtained from the Civic
Offices and, in some cases, from information supplied to community
groups and residents' organisations.

PAYMENT OF RATES

Rates will be payable at the Civic Offices and full details will be
sent to you with the rate demand.
Current rate poundages of existing properties in the transferred
area will be brought up to the level prevailing in the non-parished part
of Thamesdown over a period of four years. Residents will thereafter pay
the same rate poundage as residents of Swindon (which is inclusive of
the Swindon Special Expenses Rate).
Residents in affected properties will catch up by paying a rate
increase each year of 5.4p in the pound more than any increases which
may be made in the general rate affecting rate payers in Swindon until
the differential of up to 21.6p in the pound has been eradicated.
Properties which first become rateable on or after 1st April, 1981,
will pay the prevailing Thamesdown rate poundage in full; thus in areas
where development is still taking place occupiers of identical
properties completed after 1st April, 1981, will pay higher rates during
the period 1981 up to 1985.

CONCESSIONARY FARES SCHEME

After 1st April, 1981, eligible persons will be entitled to receive
£30 worth of tokens. The following persons are eligible to use tokens:-
(a) Women over 60 years and men over 65 years of age who receive a full
state old age pension.
(b) People suffering from a permanent disability (including blindness)
which seriously impairs their ability to walk.
(c) Disabled persons' spouses who are women over 60 or men over 65
years of age.
(d) Blind persons' companions who are themselves over the qualifying
ages mentioned in (a) above.

Persons using the scheme for the first time will need to produce
their pension book or, in the case of disabilty, a note from their
doctor. Details of when and where to register and collect the first
issue of tokens will be notified shortly.