Page 5 - link magazine

Community News

Library funding cutbacks spark protests from campaigners

Campaigners made their feelings
known following a controversial
decision by Swindon Borough
Council to axe funding for 10 of the
borough’s 15 libraries.
Members of Save Swindon’s
Libraries, Save Highworth Library
and users of Old Town Library held
a day of action over plans which
will see all libraries, except Central,
reduce their staffing hours to 15
hours.
The council’s library strategy
aims to save £1.1 million from the
current budget of £2.6million. It
is likely that 40 full and part time Campaigners gathered at Old Town Library and in Highworth Market Square to protest
staff may lose their jobs following a scrutiny committee after members sure that the dreadful mistake of we have been able to increase
60 per cent reduction in hours. voted by seven votes to six to allow closing Park Library would not come the core provision to include Park
At Old Town, library users and the proposals go ahead. to fruition. A large number of staff Library. Discussions are already well
supporters launched a Read In event Under the new proposals, a core will lose their jobs: the staff are the underway to secure community
where they ate mince pies and read provision of five libraries will be lifeblood of the library service and led library provision at Wroughton,
books together to demonstrate the funded – Central, North Swindon, the reduction in their hours will Covingham and Upper Stratton.
value of the library, and to show West Swindon, Highworth and have a profound impact on how We could be looking at retaining
their support to the staff. Parks. Parks library was added to library users access services.” a great deal of Swindon’s existing
And in Highworth, protesters the list following a two-month She added: “There remain many library provision.”
gathered in the town’s Market consultation period in which 1,632 unanswered questions for core and The libraries proposal purports to
Square before spending the responses were received. non-core libraries, particularly over be a strategy to take the service
morning in a Read In event at Save Swindon’s Libraries chair, the economic sustainability of the through to 2020.
Highworth Library while the Friends Sarah Church, said: “We commend plan and the substantial risk to the Some of the additional library
of Highworth Library held a coffee the councillors and campaigners service if adequate income is not provision could be met by
and mince pie fundraising morning. from the Parks, and residents from generated.” community solutions, with a
The library strategy was only across Swindon, who spoke up Cllr Mary Martin, Cabinet Member £500,000 transitional fund being
narrowly agreed by the council’s during the consultation to make for Communities, said: “I’m pleased set aside to support this.
Talented young authors get writing Diana Dors plaque unveiling

The work of talented young writers set for 14 January
from five Swindon schools has been
celebrated in printed form. The fourth Swindon blue plaque -
As part of a collaborative writing dedicated to actress and movie star
project, children from Oliver Diana Dors - is to be unveiled on
Tomkins, Brook Field, Haydonleigh, Saturday 14 January at the site of
Red Oaks and St Francis schools the nursing home where she was
were challenged to write a version born in 1931
of the Little Red Riding Hood story. Launched by Swindon Heritage
More than 60 primary age Youngsters, who took part in the twelve months ago, the scheme
children, from Key Stages 1 and 2, project, holding the book with their to recognise worthy people of the
took it in turns to write parts of the collected work in town started with a plaque at the
story before passing on their work birthplace in North Street, Old Town
to the next school until their story Rachel Taylor, deputy head of dedicated to Edith New, who was at
was complete. Brook Field Primary School said: “The the forefront of the campaign for
Oliver Tomkins deputy head children were really engaged with votes for women in the early 20th
teacher Julie Warburton explained: this. Some of our year 6 children Century.
“This was a great opportunity for took their work home with them and RAF pilot brothers Harold and
the children to work collaboratively then brought what they had written. Norman (‘John’) Starr, who were
whilst also developing the skill of They then had to work together both killed flying in defence of their “We’re keen to reclaim our
building cohesion in their writing.” to produce one piece. The children nation in the Second World War, international star, as ‘Our Diana’ but
Speaking about the printed were given the choice of writing in are commemorated with a plaque she presented us a bit of a problem
collection of work she said: “This any genre they wanted, so we had each at their birthplace, the former because nobody was quite sure
is an end product that the children poems, playscripts and newspaper Regent Hotel, now the site of the where exactly to mount a plaque.
should be rightly proud of, as reports. It was quite a challenge for Savoy in Regent Street. We knew she was born in the Haven
it reflects the imagination and our more able writers to have to These plaques have all been paid Nursing Home in Kent Road, but it
commitment that the children collaborate in this way. They are very for by online crowdfunding appeals. is long gone. After some detailed
have demonstrated throughout the excited to see the results printed like Project manager Noel Beauchamp research we were able to agree the
challenge.” this.” said that before a funding appeal location for the plaque.”
She explained that the scheme Year 6 Oliver Tomkins pupil, Faizan can be launched, permission of the Everybody is invited to witness the
was funded by the Swindon Haider said: “It’s great to see your property owners is sought. “Our unveiling at 61/62 Kent Road, Old
Teaching Schools organisation to work in print. I’m a keen writer, we experience so far is homeowners are Town on 14 January.
push the boundaries of the more were chosen for our literacy skills, so enthusiastic and proud to have a l See Graham Carter’s Swindon
able pupils. I really enjoyed taking part.” plaque on their wall. Heritage column on page 28.
swindonlink.com n January 2017 5

NW January 2017 Master Pages.indd 5 16/12/2016 09:38