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Letters

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Positive Media Group, Arclite House, Hillmead, Swindon, SN5 5YN
To parish or not to parish, that is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)

The current hot topic is whether these. My urban parish council is same person. These people are highly
or not Swindon Borough Council made up of 18 councillors, of which qualified and knowledgeable in local
should parish the un-parished areas three are currently co-opted (not government, they are the ones who
of the borough. I am not going elected), we asked for volunteers to know the law and have to keep their
to discuss the financial reasons take up the seats unfilled at the last councillors within it. They are the
for SBC to consider parishing the election. Co-opted councillors have money managers not the councillors.
borough or what the cost might be exactly the same powers as those And on that subject, the parish
on residents of such an action. elected. 55% of councillors work, precept (parish council tax) is
That part of the argument is for 40% of councillors are women, 90% legally required to be spent within
others to put over. I already live live in the parish and the others the parish and is set by the parish Linda Brown of Haydon Wick
in a parished area, so for me this have close ties to the area. My council. Whilst it is collected through
isn’t up for debate. I’m also a parish particular parish council has no ties the borough council tax system on Parish Council
councillor which ought to make me to churches or political parties. the parishes’ behalf, 100% must the public. We have heated debates,
biased but it doesn’t. I’ve been a parish councillor since be paid back to the parish. This is disagreements and sometimes we
I believe that it is up to local 2007 after my neighbourhood a marked difference to council tax even agree with each other. What
communities to make up their own suffered severe sewer flooding. which the borough can collect from we don’t do is sit between the
minds. But what does concern me is What started as a residents’ flood say, Shaw and spend in Walcot. borough council and the residents.
that people may make the decision alliance ended with me on the parish We are statutory consultees on We deal with different grass root
based on some misconceptions council, representing my neighbours’ planning applications within the issues and we can contact the
about what a parish council does. concerns about the lack of support parish, we deal with open spaces, borough on parishioners’ behalf.
At meetings, the same comments being received from various bodies. I litter collection and play areas. We Before saying no to parish councils
keep coming up for not supporting started off as a co-opted councillor run a minibus, provide room facilities because of the reasons I list above,
parish councils: “I want to represent and have now been through two for local groups and manage come and see for yourself. If you
my community, not be a parish elections, but I still consider myself allotments. We are responsible for would like more information or a
councillor”, “I’m only a volunteer”, a volunteer. By putting myself up grass cutting and shrub maintenance parish councillor to talk to your
“I don’t want to manage budgets”, for election, I feel that I give my in some areas. We don’t do big stuff community group, please contact
“It’s another level of bureaucracy”, neighbours a direct opportunity to like street lighting, refuse collection any parish clerk. Type ‘parishes in
“It won’t work in built-up areas, it’s confirm that they still want me to or road repairs. as we simply do not Swindon’ in any search engine for a
for rural communities” and “I’m not represent them. have the facilities to cover these list of contact details.
a retired man”. All parish councils have a clerk services and are never likely to. All Linda Brown, Chairman – Haydon
So let me try to debunk a few of and a financial officer, often the parish council meetings are open to Wick Parish Council

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46 swindonlink.com n February 2016