Page 46 - link magazine

Letters

Write to Swindon Link at [email protected] with Letters in the subject line,
or by post to Swindon Link, Positive Media Group, Unit 3, Arclite House, Century Road, Swindon SN5 5YN
The very confusing issue of parishing Swindon Good Samaritan

The issue of parishing has now In 2012 the council undertook I am a 77 year old with a disability
taken on such an opacity that it’s a Community Governance Review who drives an automatic car and
difficult to determine exactly what which determined that no action would like to thank a stranger who
council leader David Renard and his was required to amend boundaries came to my rescue in early March.
cabinet are seeking to achieve. or create new parishes from the I was driving home after visiting
So why is parishing such a ‘hot non-parished areas of the town. my sister in Sparcells when my car
topic’ and what is the history and So what has changed in just three broke down at the traffic lights on
background to parish councils? short years to create the need for Thamesdown Drive junction with
Many parts of the borough are yet another Community Governance are to be maintained. In one Purton Road.
already parished although it has Review? fell swoop the rise in tax can be I managed to coax it past the
to be said that the role of existing Thankfully the answer is crystal attributed to a new group of people. lights opposite Pembroke Park when
parish councils is limited with most clear and it’s the result of Central If you live in a non-parished area a man parked his car and came over
spending decisions made by its Government short funding local on your council tax bill is an item to help me. He told me he was a
much larger borough counterpart. councils. And if there’s one thing called ‘Swindon Non Parish Area.’ former policeman and pushed my
Parish councils do have expert Cllr Renard and his cabinet do The 2015-16 charge is about £35 car onto the grass verge; he even
advisors and they are ably led by a not want, it is a referendum on for a Band D property. Does this had a high-visibility yellow jacket
parish clerk. For many the attraction raising the tax burden. Therefore disappear from your tax bill to be to wave the traffic by to avoid a
of a parish council is the perceived isn’t it better to achieve the same replaced by the parish precept (the major hold up.
affinity of local people making end objective by persuading parish parish tax)? He refused to leave me until my
decisions in the best interest of the councils to raise their tax precept? Heck no, Swindon Council intends husband and our friend who runs
immediate community. There is a Following the money trail suggests to absorb the Swindon Non Parish a garage were able to come to tow
lot to be said in favour of smaller that in year one the parishes will Area charge into the general council me away over an hour later.
government but what is the real receive 100 per cent of the cost of tax, which means they keep an The reason I am writing to you
reason behind the council’s wish for any activity they take on from the existing local tax and expect the is that I never found out the name
parishing? borough. This reduces until year new parish councils to levy its own of this knight in shining armour
Cllr Renard offers the view that three when the parish will be on its tax to pay for the services they will who came to my rescue. I would
a core democratic principle is that own to deliver a range of services have to deliver like grass cutting, like to thank the lovely man from
decisions should be made as close and raise the money from people hedge cutting, cleaning up litter the bottom of my heart for putting
to the people affected as possible. living in their area. From year two and dog mess, and maintaining play aside whatever he might have been
Strangely, it’s not a view he has onwards the parish precept will areas. Complicated isn’t it? doing and helping me out.
championed in the past. have to rise if transferred services Des Morgan, Woodhall Park Suzanne Saunders, Lechlade

46 swindonlink.com n April 2016