Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for South Swindon has launched a “Big conversation” about the future of Swindon Town Centre.
Participants will be able to add to a map prepared by Swindon artist Marilyn Trew
Along with an online survey and leaflets to town centre shops and businesses, Heidi Alexander will be hosting a drop in event with Labour borough council leader Jim Robbins and other members of his cabinet tomorrow morning - Saturday 14 October.
The event is open to all members of the public who live or work in Swindon and will take place at The Workshed - the redeveloped space within the old Carriage Works on London Street, which is now home to a number of small firms and start-up businesses.
It will begin at 10.30am and run until noon. Attendees will be offered tea and coffee and will be asked to indicate what they love, hate and feel ambivalent about on a new town centre map, designed especially for the event by local artist Marilyn Trew.
Information boards about what is happening with the town’s empty buildings will also be part of the event, giving attendees a chance to air their hopes and aspirations for the town.
Ms Alexander said: "Having spoken to thousands of people across Swindon, one of the stand out messages I’m hearing on the doorstep is that our town centre is an embarrassment.
"With the cost of living crisis still raging, towns across the UK are struggling but Swindon has been hit harder than most. It’s fascinating that the town’s current Conservative MPs constantly talk about the investment they have supposedly pulled into the town, but most people have been left scratching their eyes, trying to work out where it’s gone.
"Having grown up in Swindon in the 80s, I know how Swindon used to be a place that people wanted to come to - the truth is we’re now a shadow of what we once were.
"I want to give Swindon its future back and want to work with the new administration at the council to turn the town’s fortunes around. As part of that, I’m clear that regeneration of the town centre must be a priority.”
Council Leader Cllr Robbins said: “It’s great that Heidi is taking the initiative and putting the resources of the local Labour Party into running this event for the public. Later this autumn the council will open its own consultation about heritage assets in the town and next year we will be starting the process of updating our local plan.
"In the meantime, it’s good to see our parliamentary candidates like Heidi and Will Stone being part of this conversation. So much of what we want to do in the town will only happen if we get a Labour Government and so we all need to be working together if we’re going to put Swindon back on the map.”
This is the first of a series of “Big Conversation” events that Ms Alexander will be hosting in Swindon in the run up to the next General Election.
Your Comments
Be the first to comment on this article
Login or Register to post a comment on this article