Page 5 - link magazine

C www.swindonlink.com The Link Magazine • July 2006 5
Things can only get better
Leader of Swindon Council Rod Bluh responds
to the MP's comments about the town.
I was disappointed that Michael Wills should use the House of
Commons to launch such a public and negative attack on Swindon
Borough Council.
This is an exciting time for the
town with many changes taking
place. Unfortunately he seems to
suggest the council has low aspi-
rations but nothing could be fur-
ther from the truth.
We want Swindon to be a place
its people can be proud of and I
believe we are making great
progress towards that goal. It
would be helpful if Michael would
look to the future instead of con-
centrating on mistakes of the past
which were made by the previous
Labour administration.
There's no doubt the prosperity
brought by the railways was used
in the past by Labour to attract Rod Bluh holding the council's
more businesses. Sadly though its new corporate plan
successors lost their way. When the country's most prosperous con-
we took over from Labour in 2004 centration of high technology in-
we inherited deep-rooted prob- dustries to the west of London with
lems which have not been easy to superb road and rail links. Prop-
rectify. The council's rating has erty prices are currently substan-
now risen from zero to two stars tially lower than in the home coun-
making us one of the fastest-im- ties.
proving local authorities in Brit- We already have big players like
ain. Intel, Honda, RWeNPower and
We have a vision to regenerate Nationwide. Of course we can be
the town centre and we're proud Britain's best business location and
of the Granville Street scheme an- anyone who thinks we're doing
nounced recently. It will have not nothing to achieve this should have
just shopping but restaurants, been at Lydiard Park in early June
homes and offices, fine open spaces to see us host the Corporate Games
and recreational facilities. Michael which has been reported as the
seems to dismiss all this by saying best ever.
that improvement is not hard to There is much to be done. This is
achieve. Does he think any old plan why we're building new schools
will do? I am sure as part or our drive
his constituents What do y Iu think of for higher educa-
would disagree. tional achieve-
As for the library Swindon's progress?
ment and why
^uncil doing a
we have no doubt Is Swindon C do you have we're supporting
that it will be one better job an the University of
of the best in Brit- the i m ^sion that
ving forward? Bath in its search
i s
ain, and there the town is m for a new campus
would be no point Let The Linl know at the in Swindon. We
in building a new address c i the left. want people to
concert hall if it Meet th leader stay here after they
could not accom- Rod Bluh w I be attending graduate and at-
modate top per- the West Sc ndon Forum tract newcomers.
formers. While on 10 July Details on The last thing
Michael is critical the people of
9
of what he per- par Swindon need is to
ce ves as a I ack of hear their MP per-
ambition on these projects, he si- petuating the old myths about their
multaneously attacks our stated town, and what will other MPs
aim of making Swindon the UK's and businesses make of it?
best business location. Don't be just another critic
These are not empty words. Our Michael. Join us in our vision. We
town is ideally placed to attract believe in Swindon and its future;
y
new businesses. We are close to we'd love ou to do the same.
THE NEW NORTH SWINDON MAP
Now available at North & West Swindon
Libraries and the Swindon Information Centre