Page 9 - link magazine

Community News

New free schools
welcomed

Two new Swindon free schools have
been approved by The Government
but the number of school places
needed in the town still needs to
be addressed according to Swindon
Borough Council.
The two new schools will be
Abbey Farm Educate Together why Great Western Academy was
Primary School in North Swindon turned down so we don’t fully
and Badbury Park Primary School in understand why two were a success
South Swindon. and one wasn’t. We would like to
This comes after applications for understand for any future bids that
six free schools were submitted to go in by providers to ensure they
The Government in the Autumn. are a success.”
Swindon Borough Council The Labour Group Shadow Lead
leader David Renard said: “We are for Education, Cllr Carol Shelley,
delighted to get two schools but we said: “I welcome government
believe we still have some capacity investment for new schools in
issues to address in North Swindon areas where they are needed and I
and we will have to sit down and congratulate the academy trusts on
see how the numbers match up. their successful bids.
“The council has a statutory “However it is worrying that
responsibility to ensure there is The Government has turned down
enough school places for young another free school in an area
people. It can be very difficult that is again needed. This goes to
these days because there is a high the heart of why Labour is against
demand for places. the government’s Free Schools
“Since 2004 the Conservative programme. Rather than solely
Administration has invested heavily focussing on delivering school
in new schools across the Borough places in areas where they’re
to replace the leaking, crumbling needed, it’s a popularity contest
inadequate buildings we inherited. based on factors not exclusively
“We haven’t had feedback about related to increasing school places."

Ambassadors come out in force
for Switch On To Swindon

The great and the good of the Coventry.
town’s business community turned The breakfast event, which took
out on Thursday 6 April for a place at The National Self Build and
Switch On To Swindon networking Renovation Centre (NSBRC) was
breakfast. attended by ambassadors, who are
Munching on bacon baps and community-minded and business
drinking coffee, the attendees heard people who have signed up to
from several speakers including support the campaign.
Jenny Groves, the newly appointed Other speakers included estate
chair of The Swindon Place Board, agent Richard James, Kris Talikowski
the private sector-led body that is who runs The Core juice bar in Old
driving the Switch On To Swindon Town and Harvey Fremlin, one of
campaign. the employee-owners of NSBRC.
Switch On To Swindon is driven Switch On To Swindon is looking
by local businesses and community for more Ambassadors from all
groups to support and deliver ranges of business and community
the changes they want to see. organisations to join the campaign
The campaign is based on similar to show people inside and outside
initiatives from across the country of Swindon what the town has to
that have already brought in offer.
significant investment for their For more information visit www.
regions, including Doncaster and switchontoswindon.com
swindonlink.com n May 2017 9

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