Campaigner Colin Doubleday has hit out at plans to change Swindon parish boundaries and has called on opposition parties to frustrate the plan at every turn ahead of Thursday evening’s council meeting.
In an open letter to Councillor Stan Pajak, leader of the Lib Dem group and Councillor Jim Grant, leader of the Labour Group, Mr Doubleday warns that members of the public may not be aware of the full implications of the new changes.
“I am not in any way optimistic that the vote of full Council can be stopped from going through on a 'three-line whip', however I am also certain that many of the councillors voting for this measure and certainly the majority of the public are unaware of the nuances involved and the dangers.”
He added: “I will reiterate that I believe that the main danger is that these small parishes with responsibility for large budget items will eventually start to remove amenities and services piecemeal across the time in a succession of localised budget shocks - we will start to lose play parks, parks and much more as small communities have not the financial size to cope.”
Under the new plans, Swindon Borough Council will hand over financial responsibility to parish councils for services such as street cleaning and grass cutting. Although an extra £3million will be made available to help parish councils meet these costs concerns have been raised that the extra burden could lead to an increase in precept or a cut in local amenities.
Proposed changes will see the creation of a new central south parish covering six ward areas; Old Town, Central Eastcott, Park South, and joint wards of Walcot and Park North as well as Lawn and Badbury Park.
Nythe Parish will be asked to take on Eldene and Liden and Blunsdon St Andrew will be split in two to create St Andrew Parish Council and Blunsdon Parish Council.
Mr Doubleday called on the leaders of the Lib Dem and Conservative groups to challenge the proposals and push for a delay in implementing the scheme.
He added: “This is the most serious and destructive thing to happen to Swindon, possibly ever. Please stand up to your role as the opposition and oppose this in detail, not with political posturing, but on behalf of the people of Swindon who have clearly said No.”
The issue will be put to full council this Thursday evening.
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