Page 4 - link magazine

4 The Link Magazine • August 2006 Place your free classifieds
Is Swindon getting better?
Gavin Jones has been appointed the new Chief Executive of Swindon Borough Council, stepping up from the deputy position, after a
national trawl of candidates to fill the £195,000 position. But for all the recent media huffing and puffing about the impressive pay package
and the cost of head hunters to get the right person for the job, the basic question: 'is Swindon improving?' has not been addressed.
Four years ago Audit Commis- As Chief Executive his biggest we have to find the right balance
sion inspectors rated Swindon challenge is to work with council- between making it a good place to
Council as one of England's worst lors to change the town of Swin- set up and run business, having a
fifteen local authorities. Upheav- don from an economically success- good transport infrastructure,
als in political control and a major ful regional centre which is good housing, as well as leisure
shake up of staff, including a lot of wracked with introspection and and cultural facilities, so that Swin-
expensive appointments under lacking in confidence, to a place don is a great place to live and
interim chief executive Mike Pitt which is comfortable with success. bring up a family. But I recognise
followed, as well as close interven- He recognises that this has to be that within an affluent town there
tion by Government civil servants. based on finding the right balance are areas of deprivation that we
Last December the council's per- between business achievement, as must respond to, whilst striving
formance merited two stars and well as educational aspiration, for better educational results and
nowadays instead of Government community and cultural develop- achieving sustained improve-
direction of council affairs, civil ment. ments in adult and social care."
servants suggest ways to continue Gavin said, "whilst there has Now that the council has got its
the improvements. been tremendous change within organisational act together, Gavin
Gavin Jones casts his eyes on
But for all the back slapping and the council and a new sense of sees the next era of change on the
feel-good atmosphere around coun- future challenges purpose amongst councillors and horizon which is based on altering
cil offices at the changes for the bet- anti-social behaviour and the gen- staff, the council has yet to fully the relationship between the coun-
ter - supported by the enthusiastic eral lack of 'soul' in Swindon. engage the community at large; I cil and the citizen. "The council
promises to achieve made by the These and many other issues are recognise that people have still to was rightly accused of being too
Conservative administration - an on Gavin Jones' leadership plate be convinced about the improve- insular, lacking in clarity, perhaps
abiding cynicism still underpins and he acknowledges there is still ments."
people's view of its council. a long way to go before Swindon "The question we have to
In the Spring grants to volun- Council can be recognised as de- ask is 'why can't Swindon be a
tary bodies were again under livering the goods. great town.' It's gone through
threat, green fields all around He grew up in Purton, joined BT tough times recently but there
Swindon are being picked out for locally, has worked in customer is a lot going on to make it
housing development whilst large services and marketing within the better for all the population.
holes in the ground have appeared travel, transport and telecommu- "I remember my parents in
in the town centre where build- nications industries, and joined Purton complaining about the
ings have been demolished. Swindon Council with responsi- westward expansion of Swin-
There are also worries about the bility for corporate change in De- don but it is now a well estab-
quality of exam results, the level of cember 2003. lished part of the town. Build-
ing in the north is based on
All change with Link advertising lessons learned and we will Gavin Jones, promoting the town
soon be agreeing Design Codes
with Princess Anne at June's
Our hard working and long serving salesperson Jenni Fowler for future development to fur- Corporate Games in Lydiard Park
leaves Swindon in August to live in Cyprus. ther improve how expansion
should take place. Swindon should arrogant, without purpose or vi-
Advertising will now be handled from the Swindon Link office
at Basepoint which means a change of telephone number. be an exemplar of how it can take sion. We're now aiming for better
place. delivery of services and better
Advertising rates and background information about "The town has been identified value for money.
the magazine can be found at www.swindonlink.com as a hot spot for future regional "Next year we'll be launching a
From Monday 31 July, to discuss advertising with us, growth by Central Government one-stop information service
please call the new number: but we are determined that it must where people can get the informa-
602540 be sustainable, with investment in tion they need and queries an-
jobs and infrastructure as well as swered through a single call, and
housing. we're working on strategies to
"Compared to a few years ago improve leadership at neighbour-
the Link Magazine when the council was ranked so hood level so that people can have
poorly we are in a much better a greater say in how the council is
position to assert our viewpoint run.
Swindon Publications Ltd.
ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES and negotiate what is right for the "The council has to leave the 'we
71 Basepoint, Rivermead
Call The Link on town with Government and de- know best' attitude behind. There
Swindon SN5 7EX
(01793) 602540 velopers. The councillors and my- is no room for arrogance; the local
Tel: (01793) 608840
[email protected] self are determined to get what is authority cannot do everything.
Fax: (01793) 608841 September bookings by 7 August right for Swindon." There are times when it has to stand
e: [email protected] Although Swindon Council has back and encourage others such as
"The Link was first published for the West recently adopted a new strapline the voluntary groups and organis-
www.swindonlink.com Swindon community in December 1978. 'the UK's best business location,' ers of arts and cultural events to
Publisher/Editor: Roger Ogle It is completely independent of Link Centre Gavin rejects that the town is just take a lead and work closely with
and, in fact, won a competition to name the them to deliver more for the peo-
Editorial: Tel: (01793) 608840 about attracting business because
leisure centre in 1984. Distribution in North he says the future must be based ple of Swindon."
Swindon commenced in January 1994."
Editorial copy date for on partnerships between organi-
September: 7 August The contents of The Link are protected sations and the population -
Published: 26 August by copyright. Use of advertisements in whether it is the New Swindon
Copy for October: 9 September printed or electronic form is forbidden Company which is responsible for
unless an advertiser or publisher has town centre regeneration, or local
Registered in England & Wales. No: 4513027. sought permission. Articles and photo-
Registered Office: 130 High Street, Hungerford, Berks. residents' organisations.
Printed by pcp, Telford graphs require similar authority "If the town is to be successful