Page 10 - link magazine

10 The virtual Link Magazine now online @ www.swindonlink.com

Farm, floods and facilities at the West forum
A range of topics were covered at the bi-monthly West Swindon Forum, attended by thirty residents and seven of the 8 councillors
representing the area, as well as Swindon’s award winning council leader Rod Bluh.
Toothill Farm safe from developers Graffiti and vandalism
Mavis Read, treasurer of the Toothill Farm Youth Club supported by Eastleaze residents complained about young people carrying out wan-
several committee members, questioned the council’s commitment to ton vandalism - graffiti, damage to fences and walls, threats to the
the club. Two years ago the council indicated that it wanted to close the elderly and thefts in their area. Local WPC Pat Salter said the police
social hall, until local councillors intervened to ensure it remained a were working behind the scenes to catch the culprits and a number of
community facility. However Mavis continues to suspect there are arrests had been made. But there are not enough police available on the
secret agendas regarding the future of the farm. “The Swindon Local spot and information from the public is essential to report individuals
Plan has the farm site allocated for housing if there is no community carrying out petty crime and damage. Call 0845 408 7000.
use. We continue to worry that the youth service is not behind us. As a Coun Bluh agreed that the community had to be involved. “The
volunteer run youth provision we have to know that we are wanted; police and council departments are working closely to achieve a coor-
we’re not happy with the level of communication about the venue and dinated response. We need a concerted fightback against anti-social
support for the club.” and unruly behaviour. Residents can start by passing on information
The farm was regularly vandalised last year. Over Christmas the about illegal activity to the police.”
farmhouse and the adjacent barn which is used by Toothill Scouts was Graffiti action - see the story below.
attacked. Coun Nick Martin told the forum that he and his colleagues The future of community centres
had a firm and vehement commitment to continued use of the farm by Coun Gary Perkins confirmed that Upper Shaw Farm social hall will
the youth club and the scouts. “We are very concerned about the close when the new Shaw Ridge Primary School opens in 2008 with
security of the site and we are trying to come up with ways forward to slightly larger community facilities included in the design. A planning
protect the buildings and the groups using them.” brief is being drawn up for the listed farmhouse on Ridge Green.
Heavy rains causing more flooding Freshbrook Community Centre secretary Terry Iles was concerned
Residents from Grange Park said several garages and houses had been about rumours that it could be closed after Freshbrook’s new combined
flooded during heavy winter rains and complained that ditches and primary school is built. Coun Perkins said, “we have looked at this
storm drains in the Poynings Park area were not coping because they possibility but closure is no longer an option. The Freshbrook centre is
were too small or blocked. Firefighters from Westlea station have been a good stand-alone building which will compliment facilities to be
out several times to pump water away from their homes. designed into the school.”
Nick Jansen from Moresby Close, Westlea, which has experienced
floods from adjacent Whitehill Brook, said urgent attention needs to be
given to the adequacy of surface water drainage systems across West
Swindon designed over thirty years ago.
Council leader Rod Bluh said he was chairing a high level multi-
agency meeting to discuss drainage on 31 January. “The town is getting
more intense downpours and we need to look at short term measures
like keeping ditches and gulleys clear and longer term engineering
solutions like replacing pipes and increasing storage capacity.”

Youngsters from Greendown School in Grange Park ventured into the fog on the
last day of term in December to pick up litter, on a Safe & Clean Day across
Freshbrook and Grange Park carried out by some fifty Swindon Council staff
YOUR LOCAL PVC-U MANUFACTURER
Spring into action to clear up graffiti
•Buy direct from Shaw & Nine Elms councillor Keith Williams is calling on Swindon
our factory people to take part in a graffiti blitz over the next few months.
He says it’s too easy to become used to unsightly tagging and feel that
•We make it and nothing can be done. But experience shows that if an area is cleaned up
we fit it quickly, it is less likely to attract more vandalism.
•High security Coun Williams said the council has doubled its resources to tackle the
problem but they need the public’s help to report graffiti. “There are
• 10 year guarantee now two teams working full time to meet the council’s promise to
•Lowest prices remove racist and offensive graffiti within 24 hours. In all other cases,
it should be cleared in 7 to 10 days.
“Many people want to make a difference in their neighbourhoods
Why not let and this is a simple way to help. It’s about civic pride and everybody
taking responsibility for their neighbourhood.”
us handle He added that, following new laws last April, the council now has
agreements in place with utilities like BT, ntl, and water and electricity
everything companies to keep street furniture graffiti clear. Either they clean it off
from start to within an agreed timeframe or the council will and pass on the charge.
To report graffiti call the Swindon Council hotline: 463463.
finish? Shaw residents’ do the extras
Coun Williams is setting up a Shaw Pride Network where volun-
Call today 01793 790944 teers keep a close eye on graffiti and litter in streets around the
Shaw & Nine Elms ward and report it to the hotline.
or 07973 232435 (evenings and weekends) The ward takes in Sparcells, Peatmoor, Ramleaze, Eastleaze and
The Marsh, Lower Wanborough. SN4 0AS Middleaze. Coun Williams is recruiting volunteers. Register your help at
www.shawresidents.org.uk or mail him at: [email protected]

1 February 07 10 18/1/07, 12:45 pm