Page 7 - link magazine

swindonlink.com • August 2008 7
Agenda Item 59 and how you were robbed

Geoff Reid looks back at a murky moment in Swindon’s civic affairs and says the issues not discussed in 2001 are still unresolved

You probably won’t remember, to lead the council or continue al- proclaimed there was ‘little sup- offices, only The Link noticed and
but if you were an adult and liv- lowing the largest political group of port’ in the borough for an elected reported the fact that the council
ing in Swindon on Thursday 27 councillors to pick one for you. mayor. was to continue the status quo,
September 2001, you were quietly Public consultations had been So, on 27 September 2001, the even though 56 per cent of people
denied a democratic right. conducted during the summer council agreed to continue with surveyed supported the idea of an
Whilst Swindon enjoyed a warm months and a long report written, the leader and cabinet model which elected mayor.
and balmy evening, a political all of which showed a majority of had been adopted the previous Your vote is for life, not just for
bonfire was raging in the council respondents in favour of the public year. I doubt many councillors elections and a vote denied will
chamber in Euclid Street which electing a mayor. eventually return stronger
saw a Conservative Party motion The report which had and more determined to be
of no confidence being passed on been sent to a review panel exercised.
the Labour Group in control of the of the leaders of the three It is entirely appropriate that
council under the leadership of main parties and a couple the elected mayor discussion
Sue Bates. of non-elected independent be dusted off and aired again.
The Labour cabinet resigned on members quoted all the Last time it was hurriedly
the spot and the meeting was ad- consultation data correctly, and unfairly bundled away
journed for 15 minutes. The council but the report summary underneath the stairs at the
reconvened and continued working did not. civic offices, this time around
through the huge agenda: bus lanes, This states that 71 per cent it deserves a properly open and
garden composting, fire authority of stakeholder attendees fair debate.
precepts, foot and mouth, Swindon had been in favour of an The Local Government Act
Town Football club. appointed leader; impres- 2000 states that if 5 per cent
It’s perhaps understandable sive until you learn that this of the electorate (around 7,300
that the councillors’ minds were conclusion was reached at people) sign a petition call-
on the abrupt change in political a conference the previous ing for a local referendum
power that had just occurred. By year attended by less than 40 on whether a local authority
the time they reached number 59 people. So 71 per cent would realised they were accomplices should have an elected mayor,
on the agenda, they wanted to be be the views of only 28 people. in a democratic mugging; the re- the council must arrange one to
away from the chamber to discuss, In stark contrast, the 2001 public view panel report states that other give citizens the chance to choose
mourn and celebrate the evening’s consultation saw over 7,000 people councillors were not consulted on between electing a mayor directly,
events, which is how you came to responding to a letter box survey its contents. or continue allowing councillors to
be robbed. sent out by the council, and some We can safely assume that, caught appoint a leader for them through
Item 59 ‘Council Constitution – 1,300 responses to a more in-depth up in the drama of the night, they the present leader and cabinet
Recommendations of the Review ‘Swindon Peoples Voice’ survey. wouldn’t pay too much attention system.
Panel on Consultation on New The in-depth survey clearly to a seemingly unimportant late Whichever we individually
Political Structures’ sounds fairly showed 56 per cent of respondents agenda item. prefer, it is in all of our interests to
boring. in favour of electing a mayor. Yet Whilst other media focussed on discuss both the democratic options
In fact it should have spurred despite the evidence to the con- the mass resignation and the chang- available to us today, and those
an in-depth debate on how the trary, the summary of the report ing of the political guard at the civic denied to us in 2001.
council power structure should be
arranged, and how you, the voter, We’d like to know what you think. Please do the survey at:
would be given the chance to exer- www.talkswindon.org/index.php?board=152.0
cise your vote in a local referendum
to choose between electing a mayor There is also an online petition should you feel moved to sign it at: www.talkswindon.org/petition

Red tape holds back summer play plan but residents set about reclaiming their community
The enthusiasm of a group of mums in Grange Park has been dampened by bureaucratic demands which means there will be no playscheme
for children living in The Holbeins in the summer holiday.
Although mothers in the area the group decided to clean up their
have kept an eye on children play- area. In early July, with help from
ing in the open space between the members of Youth for Christ linked
houses and organised activities to Freshbrook Church, adults and
with them in the past, they feel the children held two clean up week-
risk of doing so this year without ends and filled over 30 bags with
insurance cover and criminal record litter and overgrown shrubbery to
bureau (CRB) checks has become beautify their street.
too great for them to continue. “It’s frustrating that we’re not
“It’s a great pity that we cannot do able to organise the playscheme
what we’ve done informally for the but we’ve decided to take on more
last few years,” said Emma Ander- responsibility for our area and
son. “All the mums and the children many parents and children in the
know each other, but without going area have joined in,” said Emma.
through all the formalities we just “We’ve set up a formal committee
cannot take the risk of supervising to organise fundraising events and
other people’s children. Emma and Gill, right, with keen youngsters after The Holbeins tidy up apply for grants. By next year we
“We’ve registered the Holbeins plan to have an equipment store in
Fun Club as a charity and with at work. Gill Newell, who founded going ahead, Emma will be park- the play area to give us a base for
Ofsted, and organised insurance, the group with me, has three CRBs ing a container outside her house activities.”
but we cannot complete the CRBs from elsewhere but it’s not good to store play equipment which At the end of July Emma is having
on the adults involved - even enough.” children can borrow. her head shaved at Hairworks Salon
though some are already checked Although a formal scheme is not Not to be put off by the setback, in aid of the playscheme.

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