Page 6 - link magazine

6 The Link Magazine • October 2004
West forum brings discussions back to community level
A local experiment to replace Swindon Council's discredited Area Panels got off to a good start on 13 September when thirty people turned
up to talk about local issues with councillors and officers.
The area panels set up in 2000 dents, Mr Cole and councillors ac- New play areas planned Shaw Forest Country Park
had become a Civic Office based ceptedthatmoreandregularmain- Landscape Architect Caroline Head of Landscape Services Ed
councillor talking shop and were tenance is required. Initial debris Nash gave details of upgrades to Stamford gave an update on the
abandoned earlier this year. removal should takeplacethisyear two play areas. The plans for: completion of Shaw Forest Coun-
However with encouragement and machine assisted clearance of • Shelfinch will be on display at try Park. Upgrades to the leachate
from The Link, a new West Area vegetation will be programmed. Toothill Community Centre from and methane gas extraction sys-
Forum has been set up by the eight There were calls for Asda and 27 September to 8 October. Ms tems will soon be taking place
councillors representing the three other supermarkets totake respon- Nash will be available at the centre Phases I & II and tree planting
wards in the area to connect peo- sibility for dumped trolleys. A de- on 4 October, 3.30pm to 5.30pm. should be completed within two
plc with council activities. bris hot-line can be called on • Bloomsbury Close will be on years.Anon-site car park and more
Topics discussed were: 466264. display at West Swindon Family footpaths are planned.
August flooding in Westlea which Pedestrian route next to Peatmoor Project, 15 Gainsborough Way, Another community tree plant-
resulted in six houses in Moresby Lagoon. Freshbrook and Freshbrook Com- ing day is being discussed by the
Close being made unhabitable. Councillors complained that, munity Centre from 18 October to Great Western Community Forest
Council environmental officer having installed traffic lights on 29 October. Ms Nash will be in the team and the Swindon Forest Pro-
Dennis Cole explained that the Peatmoor Way, an upgrade to the community centre on Thursday 21 tection Group.
storm on 12 August was the worst footpath at the west end of October, 10am to 12 noon to dis- • The West Area Forum next meets
he had seen in the town in 32 years' Peatmoor Lagoon had not yet taken cuss the project. on Monday 8 November.
service. He confirmed that the place.
ground was water logged from Brook Field School governor and
downpours earlier in the week and Safer Routes to School coordinator Police warn Shaw's disruptive youth
pipes and ditches across the town Claire Walker said parents had
were quickly filled to capacity dur- expressed concern about the flood- People living in and around Shaw village centre have been feeling
ing the two hour monsoon. ing and condition of the footp they are getting the brunt of youth anti-social problems experienced
footpath
He also clarified that whilst four years ago. elsewhere during the summer months.
Westlea brook is the responsibility Head of Transportation Services With Anti-Social Behaviour Act allocated another beat officer to
of Swindon Council, the surface Ewan Rees said the footpath was dispersal orders in place at West Shaw to work with WPC Pat Salter
water drains feeding into it belong one of many projects in need of Swindon Centre and Toothill and and asked for officers from the
to Thames Water. budget approval. "In view of the Freshbrook village centres, resi- traffic department, the mobile
With regard to foul water sew- wet conditions in the area, a higher dents believe young people are CCTV van, the dog unit and other
ers bursting, he said that Thames level of construction may be re- migrating to Shaw to keep out of specialist teams to visit the area.
Water could not explain why this quired. A design could be submit- the way of the police, adding to the He said, "public safety is our
happened. ted in 2005 with construction pos- aggravation being caused by local priority and the police are using
In response to criticism from resi- sibly in 2006." youth hanging around the centre. the criminal justice system to bear
inc September Link highlighted down on trouble makers. We nave
disturbance and petty vandalism spoken to the ring leaders in the
around the centre, whilst people area and made it very clear that we
living in Old Shaw Lane regularly know what they are doing and
experience damage to cars and how they should consider chang-
homes. ing their ways before it is too late."
West & North Swindon Police He added that a dispersal order
Sector Inspector Willie Glasgow will be considered if behaviour
and neighbourhood beat officer does not improve.
WPC Pat Salter attended a meet- Youth research
ing at George Tweed Gardens on 1 Fran Sampson of the West Swin-
cQ September to listen to complaints don youth team is updating infor-
about noise, disruption and appar- mation on youth provision. Or-
ent lack of interest from the police in ganisers of groups and activities
/F, dealing with the problems.
v.,, o * _ for 11 to 18 year olds are asked to
As a result Insp. Glasgow has call her on 465406.
Good trolley news
Haydon Wick parish councillors report receiving fewer complaints
about the number of dumped trolleys in North Swindon.
Asda Walmart have installed an electronic braking system to its
trolleys to prevent them being removed from the North Swindon
Centre and the trolleys at the new Morrisons store in Thames Avenue
now require a £1 deposit.

Giving tenants a say
2005 - YEAR OF THE ROOSTE A first ever conference for the 11,500 tenants and leaseholders living
in property rented from Swindon Borough Council takes place at the
CHINESE ZODIAC OR BEAUTIFUL Civic Offices on Saturday 2 October, 11am to 3pm.
Hosted by Swindon Tenants able to provide information and
ORCHID DESK-TOP CALENDAR
Voice and the Tenants Association advice about housing services.
AVAILABLE FREE TO CUSTOMERS for Sheltered Housing, in conjunc- All the council's tenants and
FROM DECEMBER tion with the council's housing de- leaseholders should receive infor-
partment, the event will include mation about the event by the end
(WHILE STOCKS LAST) guest speakers and the la unch of a of September. For details call Derek
newly constituted Swindon Ten- Fry of the Swindon Tenants Voice
iii ants Voice. on 485062 or Tenant Participation
Housing staff will also be avail- Manager Pete Holohan on 464425.