Page 2 - link magazine

Youth issues dominate public meeting G. Park school
Steve Menham has been appointed
Despite the worst weather of the subsidising school transport routes. •JohnMaloney from Westlea raised head teacher at West Swindon's
winter, sixty people attended the Councillor Mayer added that the issue of litterand dog mess in the newest primary school. The school,
public meeting called by Thamesdown Transport was re- area and Lydiard Park where it was which is located off Hay Lane, will
Thamesdown Borough Council on quired bylaw to make a profit which particularly disgusting. serve Grange Park and opens in
7Febniaiyat the Link Centre to give made it almost impossible to oper- Councillor Bob Pixton from September.
residents a chance to put questions ate general routes which did not Freshbrook said that the Council He is presently headteacher of
to the leaders of the council. cover themselves. was trying to work out solutions Swindon Old Town's Lethbridge
LeaderoftheCouncilTonyMayer He also agreed that there was a which involved dog owners who School and can be contacted there
described the meeting as the first of major problemof trying to maintain after all were responsible for their on 523808 until the end of March.
a series to be held in different parts and develop good public transport animals. It was difficult to proceed
of the Borough. He said that West in the face of cuts, whilst trying to far since the national Dog Registra-
Swindon had been chosen for the reduce traffic congestion. tion scheme had been defeated in Year of the Ram
first meeting because of the survey •Keriy Porter from Toothill asked Parliament and there were limited
carried out in 1989 through The Link about the truth of reports that there powers available and little money celebrated in west
magazine and the more recent con- was going to be an entrance charge to enforce dog fouling prevention The Asian Women's Mother and
ference on the problems of the area. to the Link Centre. She said it would measures. Toddler Group celebrated the Chi-
The meeting was a chance to pro- be very unfair to young people if CouncillorGary Griffiths believed nese New Year in February at a
vide councillors with more direct this was the case. that the Borough's refuse collection party which included delicious
feedback Arts and Recreation chair Coun- service was second to none but some Malaysian and Indian dishes.
Below is a summary of the major cillor Fanning said the issue had people go out of their way to drop Thegroupmeets onTuesday from
questions put to the councillors and been completely misunderstood by litter. The proposed Environmental 1p.m. to 3p.m. in the Community
their responses. the local newspaper. See the story Protection Bill required Councils to Room at the Link Centre and in-
*Les Peach from Freshbrook com- below. He said that no change in be more vigilant with litter, but pro- cludes members from a wide range
plained that Thamesdown had policy would take place before wide vided no additional money to oper- of cultures and religions. People
stopped the War Disablement Pen- consultations and youngpeople had ate the scheme. from the Caribbean, India, Pa kista n,
sions allowance. to be involved in the process. •Sandra Small from Westlea felt that Malaysia, Germany and Holland
Housing Committee chair Des He pointed out that there were the Meads Play Area in Westlea is bring their children to take part in
Moffat said that the Government one million users of the Link Centre unsafe and needs rebuilding. activities and celebrate their differ-
has changed the rules governing annually and the very smallnumber Councillor Fanning said the play ent festivals.
payments which restricted local of misbehaving people were not area in question was very good by New members are invited to join.
authority's powers. He said money entitled to impose their views on the comparison to many. Howeverthere For more information, contact Melba
had been set aside to support War majority. is a rolling programme of upgrad- Sheffield on 870019.
Disablement Pensioners but he was *Kerry Porter said that getting the ing play areas to British Standards. Shirley Foster holds a cake in the shape
not willing to impose an extra bur- Toothill Farm youth club building Other questions were raised with of a ram made by Melba Sheffield, right,
den upon council tenants. open again was taking a long time regard to Thamesdown becoming a with Sue Yang-Foster behind.
*Sheila Mitchell from Westlea said and young people were being ig- unitary authority, responsible for
that the bus service to Greendown nored. all local government activities, the
School was inadequate and large Councillor Fanning reported that use of creche facilities at the Link
numbers of students did not have lease negotiations were taking place Centre by child minders, security in
access to a service. and unfortunately it is a lengthy and around the Link Centre, the use
She was informed that Wiltshire process. He expressed concern that of residential areas for motor re-
County Council was responsible for there was only limited access for pairs, and the ability of the council
providing school transport and young people at local community to extract contributions to commu-
Thamesdown was prevented from centres. nity facilities from land developers.

No charge to use Link Centre
Meeting called to discuss access on 19 March

Users of the Link Centre are not to Following thepublic meetingLink A report is being prepared for the
be charged SOp to enter the centre, Centre CoordinatorJohn Fisher said Arts and Recreation Committee in
despite reports in the Swindon building the Centre as an open ac- April and John Fisher would wel-
Evening Advertiser that a charge is to cess facility, six years ago was a come any written comments on how
be introduced. brave, bold experiment. "On bal- access to the Link Centre might be
A group of teenagers questioned ance it has been a successful ex- changed to deal with the problems.
members of Thamesdown Council periment but the behaviour of a The Community Development
about the reports at the public meet- minority of users had worsened over Division is organising a meeting for Published by West
ing held on 7 February and were the last year. The staff have coped usergroupsof theCommunity Suite
told that the Council had not dis- very well under pressure, but they to find out what they think Swindon Publications
cussed the introduction of a charge. are getting fed up with aggressive 13 Castle Dore
Chair of the Arts and Recreation attitudes. So are visitors who are Access to the Link Centre Freshbrook, Swindon
Committee Councillor Maurice treated to abuse by groups of young A meeting on Editorial: Roger Ogle,
Fanning said the reports were mis- people hanging around outside the Publisher/Editor
leading and understood the upset centre and by their poor behaviour Tuesday 19 March Tel: (0793) 872282
they caused. inside. "If it means people not com- 7p.m. to 9p.m. In the Advertising Sales:
He said that the open access policy ing here or staff leaving, we must do Community Suite Elizabeth Wood Tel: 871793
to the Link Centre was under re- something about the problem." at the Link Centre • Apple Macintosh design, layout
view by his committee following He suggested that an entrance to find out what users of the and lasersetting.
abuse of the facilities by a tiny mi- charge was a extreme solution and community suite think Printed by Western Webb, Bristol
nority of teenagers and young would be difficult to manage given about changing access
adults. "We are carrying out a con- the library, community suite and arrangements Published monthly.
sultation exercise with users and the arts studio were open access. to the Link Centre. Copy date for the
staff on whetherany changes in how Howevera selective control of access April edition: 16th of March.
we manage the Link Centre should at certain times might be an ap- A meeting called by The April edition will be
take place." proach. Community Development. published on 29 March