Page 12 - link magazine

Parishing Swindon: What will be the impact on you?

Swindon Council has launched service delivery, he said Swindon
a year-long governance review Council employs just one person
which includes a proposal to create to clear graffiti across the town.
local parished areas in parts of the Haydon Wick Parish Council
borough that are not already within employs its own maintenance
a parish council area. ‘He pointed out that, though the overgrown, it’ll be easier to get operatives who clear all graffiti
Better Swindon, the independent council tax is capped by central action from your parish council within one working day of it being
group seeking to raise standards of government, parish council precepts than from the borough council. reported. They also clear litter and
council decision-making based on are not, although these vary from But, whilst there may be a quicker trim hedges within 48 hours of the
more open and fair consultation, zero in Inglesham to over £100 a response there will be greater cost request being made. The parish also
held a debate about introducing year in Highworth. because the smaller parish may not employs a full-time parish clerk.
another level of local government ‘He sees the proposals as a device have the economies of scale that a The annual cost is £31,000 a year.
on communities across the town. to increase the council’s revenue big council has. ‘With regard to variations in
Better Swindon chair Chris Barry by passing on some services to ‘In other words, it’s about a precept, he said Inglesham’s precept
said: “This will have an impact on parish councils, for example, street fundamental change in how is zero but the parish council does
everyone, whether living in a parish cleaning, hedge maintenance, and Swindon Council delivers its very little. By contrast Stratton
or not, as your services and council graffiti removal. If these were paid services. has a high precept, but they run a
tax will be affected.” for by parish precepts, Swindon ‘John Stooke, former chair of leisure centre.
Below he reports on the debate at Council could focus the freed- Haydon Wick Parish Council, spoke ‘If parishing goes ahead he sees
the Civic Offices on 5 November. up council tax funds on its core in favour of the idea of parishing, the town being divided into a
‘Some 28 people attended, commitments: Social Services and strongly proposing that parish number of community hubs, with
including four Labour councillors care of the elderly. councils represent grass roots parish councils at the core of each.
and two Conservatives. However, ‘He said this may sound good democracy, though he agreed that ‘In contributions from the floor,
over 500 others had seen the post on paper, but he pointed out that no one size fits all. 11 speakers raised points both for
on Better Swindon’s Facebook different areas of the town have ‘Parish councillors are local, and against parishing the town, but
page advertising the event and widely differing needs in terms of accessible and committed, they cost there was a strong consensus that a
the meeting was advertised in the maintenance and public space. nothing and don’t get involved in citizens’ referendum should be held
November Link magazine. Because of the differing social party politics. before such a profound change in
‘Coun Des Moffatt said a final profiles and age of each area, it ‘Many non-parished areas have local government takes place. It will
decision will be not be made until could mean that more deprived active residents’ or community have impact on all of us.’
November 2016 and quoted the areas will need more maintenance associations and he believes these • Keep up to date with this issue on
council’s chief law officer, saying and residents would have to pay a could easily morph into parish Facebook: Better Swindon
‘Consultation is not the same as a higher precept. councils. • Call for a referendum: www.bit.ly/
referendum.’ ‘Also, if your pavement is ‘To illustrate the benefits of local SBC-parishing-wicks-view

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12 swindonlink.com n December 2015