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Community News

Have your say at the Swindon Link public debate on Lydiard Park

Swindon Link will be hosting a know the process for that.
public debate about the future of So far nine different organisations
Lydiard Park and House on Monday have come forward to run the
15 February. site in whole or in part including
Participants will include Friends a bid by its current staff, which
of Lydiard Park, Swindon Heritage The Friends revealed they will be
and Swindon Borough Council and supporting at the end of a public
will start at 7pm at Swindon Link’s meeting attended by 600 people
offices at Arclite House in Hillmead. which was held at Lydiard Park
We’re also asking readers to take Academy on 12 January.
part in a big survey - see opposite. This was closed by Lord Joel
This comes after Swindon Joffe of Liddington, who acted as
Borough Council revealed in the Nelson Mandela’s defence attorney,
autumn that they were asking for who asked for calm and dialogue Friends chair Mike Bowden (centre, back) at full council on 21 January
expressions of interest to take on between all parties.
a lease of the site as they can no Mike Bowden, chairman of The Swindon Corporation in 1943 for “This Council requests that the
longer afford the subsidy due to Friends, said: “It is obvious that the people of the town. Board Director, Service Delivery
Government cuts. Swindon Council see Lydiard as a Councillor Garry Perkins, cabinet ensures that the report scheduled
Swindon Council’s cabinet are financial liability and not the asset member for Economy, Regeneration to go to Cabinet in February sets
due to meet on Wednesday 10 that it most certainly is. I get that and Skills, said: “As a council we out a timetable allowing a further
February to decide whether to put the subsidy has to be reduced to are having to make some very three months for all proposals
the bidding process out to formal zero and that 92% of the council difficult decisions as we simply do to be developed more fully so as
tender and what the deadline and budget will end up being allocated not have the money any more to to reflect the Council’s goal of
the criteria will be. The deadline to vulnerable adults and children. carry on as normal. securing a sustainable future for
will include a three month But what I don’t get is the lack of “Let me just make it very clear. Lydiard House and Park.”
extension after The Friends of engagement from the council with We are not putting Lydiard up for
Lydiard Park lobbied for time for a the residents of the town on how sale. It will still be owned by the The public debate takes place on
staff trust bid to be put together. we come up with a solution.” people of Swindon. Everyone will Monday 15 February, 7pm
The council has confirmed that, The Friends were formed in still have the same access to the at Positive Media Group,
even if no expression of interest 1962 and are an independent house and gardens and the heritage Arclite House, Century Road,
has been made before the cabinet charity dedicated to supporting will be preserved but it needs to be Hillmead, SN5 5YN.
meeting, organisations will still be the conservation and continued made financially viable by a third Places are limited so you will
able to put in a formal bid after enhancement of Lydiard. The party for it to continue.” need to register for a free
that time and they will let people house and park was bought by the A motion was carried by the debate ticket at
Conservative group at full council www.bit.ly/Lydiardparkdebate
on Thursday 21 January. It read:
PREMIER FLOORING

CARPETS - VINYLS - LAMINATES Lydiard Park background and context

In 2013 the Council commenced as community groups. Nine
THE PREMIER SERVICE a programme of work aimed organisations have so far
GUARANTEED TO SAVE at removing the subsidy responded.
YOU MONEY for its leisure and cultural As the process is commercially
assets through working with confidential no details of any of
outside operators with a more the parties will be made public.
FREE uplifting and disposal of
your existing flooring commercial focus. The council’s cabinet will be
The first phase resulted in the asked in February whether they
FREE moving of furniture leasing of the borough’s leisure wish to invite formal bids to
NO Hidden extras or delivery and golf facilities from November operate the site.
charges 2014. Organisations were advised
The next phase is looking at the that the freehold of the site was
All products and installation HOME SELECTION cultural assets like the country not for sale and that any offer
guaranteed parks. including the sale of all or part of
WE COME TO YOU
Public Liability Insured The primary objective of this the site would be rejected.
work is to ensure that all the Other conditions included
NO PRESSURE SALES
CALL STEVEN WALDRON NO OBLIGATION QUOTATIONS facilities and assets have a long maintaining access to the site for
TEL 01793 320974 CARRIED OUT IN THE COMFORT term sustainable future, which, the people, as well as ensuring
OF YOUR OWN HOME AT A TIME given the scale of the demand on proposals are sustainable in
MOB 07812 855250 THAT SUITS YOU council finances, must include terms of the heritage value of the
removing the need for council site and from an economic and
[email protected] FAMILY RUN BUSINESS THAT
DELIVERS QUALITY SERVICE subsidy. environmental perspective.
Unit 35 Pembroke Centre AND WITH OVER 30 YEARS Last year Lydiard House and Any proposal must also generate
Cheney Manor Industrial Estate EXPERIENCE IN INSTALLATION Park cost £458,000 to run. income for the council and not
Swindon SN2 2PQ AND PRODUCT SALES The council, which owns require any on-going financial
the site, appointed property support from the local authority.
ALL YEAR ROUND COMPETITIVE PRICES advisor GVA Bilfinger to invite If the decision is made to invite
AND EXCELLENT SERVICE.
expressions of interests from formal proposals at the February
IT’S WHY OUR CUSTOMERS RETURN commercial and not-for- cabinet meeting there will also be
TO US TIME AND TIME AGAIN! profit organisations as well a public consultation.
4 swindonlink.com n February 2016