Page 4 - link magazine

4 The Link Magazine • August 2000
Panels provide people
D & L Blinds
with platform
Rollers • Verticals • Venetians
Unhappy with Roman Blinds • VELUX® Dog mess, graffiti, traffic calming and road surfacing were some of
your accounts? Conservatory Blinds the topics discussed at the West Area Panel on 6 July at the Civic
Offices, the first ever to take place under the new system of making
Books or tax a headache? QUALITY BLINDS AT
the Swindon Council more accountable.
Let us take the strain AFFORDABLE PRICES
Set up as part of the new deci-
VAT/ Bookkeeping • Taxation Fast and reliable service sion making structure, the six pan-
• PAYE • Monthly/quarterly Evenings & weekends no problem els covering different parts of the
accounts + Year end All blinds fitted free
self assessment town give people the opportunity
Choose from a wide range to raise issues and to be consulted
Friendly service + Reasonable
rates + Appointments to suit of fabrics from the comfort on proposals affecting their neigh-
you - day, evening, weekend of your own home bourhoods. Made up of ward
Self Assessment made easy Contact Paul on 01793 619428 councillors and co-opted interests,
the panels give time for the public
Swindon 531111 FREE QUOTES NO OBLIGATION to speak and raise points of con-
cern.
Barrie Thompson, council cabi-
net member for partnership and
PHILIP STONE equalities, said the area panels
should not be considered a talking
PAINTER & DUNCAN shop, but an opportunity for the
DECORATOR "SELF DRIVE HIRE public to engage in council affairs porary hut was condemned.
Council officer Alan Dalton said it
which they can pursue through to
cabinet and full council meetings. would take too much money to
For a high standard *awc 4oca€'eatae ea^ftaa^y The West councillors agreed to repair it and capital was not avail-
of work Vehicles for Hire at Competitive Rates rotate the chair amongst political able to build a permanent centre.
Cars • Vans • Luton Tail-Lifts parties based on representation in Coun Nick Martin suggested
References available 272 Ermin Street the three wards involved. that the hut should be patched up
Stratton St. Margaret, Swindon A petition for traffic calming on and serve as a youth centre.
Telephone now for a Idovers Drive, Toothill was sup- Area Panel meetings coming up
FREE ESTIMATE Tel: 822193 ported by the panel as a priority at the Civic Offices:
Radio de-coding while you wait 3 August South East
Tel: 870515 or FREE PARKING for the annual road safety spend- 9 August East Swindon
ing review meeting in September.
Mobile 0374 - 208527 Open daily 8.30am - 5.30pm 4 Maria Park and Julie Lupton, who 10 August South Swindon
Sundays 8.30am - 9.30am "S were featured in the June Link and 17 August North Swindon
spoke at the meeting, said they 7 September West Swindon,
were encouraged that the issue was Link Centre, 7pm
being taken seriously. The public can also speak at the
Steve Brown, chair of the Shaw council cabinet meetings which
Residents' Association, called for take place on 2,16 and 30 August.
a community centre to be built at For details, call the committee sec-
Shaw Village Centre after the tem- tion on 463000.

Include us as partners!

Stakeholders won't be sidelined say campaign group
A call by Council Leader Sue Bates for a feasibility report to the
cabinet on 2 August on the future of the derelict Mechanics Institute
has been welcomed by the group which has campaigned for five years
for it to be saved and refurbished as a community resource.
But they are up- largely ignored
set with the lead- the Trust. Our
er's press release efforts have se-
which stated: 'the cured a listed
Mechanics Insti- building status
tute Preservation upgrade and the
Trust' have done involvement of
sterling work on English Herit-
For your retirement living we currently have bringing every- age."
body's attention to the building's The group, which opposes plans
vacancies at Brain Court, Stratton St. Margaret
decline. I now believe Swindon by the private owner to redevelop
and Windmill Court, Freshbrook, Swindon. Council should take the lead in the the building as a hotel, is looking
next stage as we discuss what the for a partnership with Swindon
Please contact our Regional Office: options are for restoring this im- Council under the guidance of
Western Region, 10 The Parade portant part of Swindon's history English Heritage.
Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 1NE and placing it at the very centre of Council Chief Executive Paul
Tel: 01672 515622 our future." Doherty said there was never any
Trustee Martha Parry said, "the intention to exclude the Mechan-
tone of the statement is dismissive ics Trust. "The council cannot op-
James Butcher of the trust and its efforts; we will erate without involvement of all
not accept being pushed aside. the interested parties and we want
Housing Association "The council has tried to forget to work with the Trust to achieve
the Mechanics for 14 years and has the best outcome for the building."