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Community News

New parish boundaries agreed despite town-wide objections

Plans to create new parish councils He said that the council was
in Swindon have been given the go- paying the price for previously
ahead in the face of opposition. keeping a lid on council tax rises
Following a heated debate in a and was now being forced to look
full Swindon Council meeting on 10 at ways of meeting the increasing
November - constantly interrupted costs of adult social care.
by protests from the public gallery Cllr Kevin Small (Mannington
- councillors voted the proposal and Western, Lab) said: “This
through, 29 for and 26 against administration has been forced into
(with one abstention). this decision tonight because of
Prior to the meeting protestors the cuts forced on them by the Tory
and opposition councillors chanted central government.”
‘no new parishes’ on the steps of Council leader Cllr David Renard
the Civic Offices. (Con) said: “We 57 councillors have
At the meeting Labour group a legal responsibility to balance the
leader Jim Grant said: “These books. The Labour group haven’t
proposals have no mandate. It got any alternative answers. This is
will lead to a council tax increase about protecting local services and
by the back door. It’s a layer of this is the only way to achieve it.”
bureaucracy that no one wants. A total of three new parishes are
Without doubt it will hit the planned for the town. These are
poorest the hardest. It will hit them West Swindon, Central North and
in the pocket, where it hurts.” Central South Swindon.
He said that those living in the The Central South Swindon Parish
newly created parishes could see covers six wards; Old Town, Central
an 11 per cent rise in their council Eastcott, Park South, and joint
tax bills. wards of Walcot and Park North as
Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr well as Lawn and Badbury Park.
Stan Pajak (Eastcott, Lib Dem) said: Shadow parishes come into being
“There is a lack of understanding early next year with the councils
about this. This move is not about actively taking on services from 1
community, it’s all about the need April 2017 and elections to be held
to raise money.” for parish councillors in May. The new parish boundaries

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