Parks Councillor Swindon - What have I been doing?

The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment, a bit of a mouthful but it seems to be basically looking at identifing potential housing sites. Although they do say it should not be taken as representing either an intention to allocate these sites for housing, it has got to be worth giving them your opinion about sites which you have have concerns about.
It is a public consultation from 9 March 2009 to 20 April 2009. I have written expressing my concern about the lack of parking we already have and also how we lack open space more than any other ward. Steve Allsopp has wriiten too I know. Please have a look and give them your opinions.

There are community grants available

Grassroots Grants

Grassroots Grants are there to -
To support new community activity contributing to the Swindon Borough Council's and the communities' priorities
To provide activities and amenities that improve the quality of people's lives
To improve the connections and links between Swindon Borough Council's councillors and local communities
To assist small organisations to develop themselves

Any 'small group' can apply, which has:

A management group
A governing document (e.g. constitution, statement of aims and objectives)
A bank account
A small group is one having a turnover of less than £50,000 per annum.

There is info here if you want to apply or know of a group it may help.

An update I recently received about the potential reduction in Council housing rent :-

Council Rents Increases 2009-10

The Government announced on Friday 6th March that financial support would be made available to assist Councils cut their planned rent increases due to the current economic climate. The Government is aiming to halve the average guideline rent increase it issues from 6.2% to 3.1%.

Tenants however will need to be patient in waiting for the rent reduction. The Council has already issued its rent increases for 2009/10 and we are waiting for further Government guidance before we are able to implement the rent reduction. The
reduction will apply to rent only and not other charges, eg garages, heating, neighbourhood wardens.

It is likely to be several months before we are in a position to reduce the rents, initially waiting for Government guidance. Current legislation requires housing authorities to give tenants four weeks notice of any variation in their rent. It is also a complex matter to adjust rent levels, as computer systems will require updating. Housing Benefit will need to be recalculated and new rent cards will have to be issued.

In the meantime tenants must continue to pay their rent in line with their existing rent increase letters that are effective from 6th April 2009. When changes are applied to the rent accounts it will be adjusted back to the start of the new rent year (6th April 2009) and tenants will not end up being charged more than they should.

I'll let you know as and when I hear anymore, hopefully good news
Finally my email has changed, I can now be contacted on howardsr@btinternet.com

Did you see Michael Wills article in the Adver here. A number of people have raised the issue with me via email & when I've been out and about. If we are successful in our bid it would great to see a reduction in the rent for many. From what I hear the council is looking into it, information is still coming in, so no definate desision has been made. But so far as I understand it everyone is keen to bid for the extra money, watch this space....

I've also been busy elsewhere. Last week I met up with the local Police at the library to talk about the new police pledge. You can now type in your postcode here or text the word PLEDGE & your postcode to 66101 and you will receive a text back with info on your local police team.

Yesterday I went out with a housing officer Sarah and a neighbourhood warden Joan on their normal walkabout in Park South. 16 points were noted down by Sarah, the wardens had quite a few and I had 5 things to follow up which has kept me busy since I got back. Issues noted included illegal parking, untidy gardens, repairs to walls, and lack of litter bins. The wardens and the Housing officer go on walk about around the Parks regularly, I will try and join them again. It was great to be able to talk about issues and share information.

Last week I went to the latest Citizenship Ceremony, about 35 people from many different nationalities became British citizens and had a celebration, it was great. The ceremony involved pledging alliegance to the country and the queen, the National athem was sung and there was details of versus I didn't even know! I also learnt all about the history of Swindons coat of arms too. Everyone had their photo taken with the mayor, and was given a commemorative medal.

We are still working to do all we can to save the libraries and park & ride. Casework is still coming in, a great deal of mould around causing problems with families with young children. Also problems with some repairs, uncollected plastic bottle bags and a car having been damaged. It's very varied!

I was there yesterday, and we had two visitors

Casework is coming thick and fast at the moment, the latest things I am working on behalf of residents are : -

- The parking still yet to happen in Studland Close

- Leaking toilet and shower I got onto that one very quickly!

- Someone threatened with eviction as the benefits system is taking so long to sort out his claim. On this I have heard many times how papers taken in are lost so the claim has been delayed, has this ever happened to you or someone you know? Let me know Email - howards@zoom.co.uk as I am keen to keep an eye on this.

- Questions about how we managed the snow as a Council, snow plough unable to negotiate speed humps and lack of gritting.

- A query about the underpass at Kirby going.

- The new bus routes/ times causing some issues.

And

- Two issues about the recent allocation of school places

So it's all go

We are also still trying to do all we can to save the Gorsehill & Even Swindon libraries, I can't understand why the spending on hospitality has not been reviewed and surely spending £1.4m on advertising is too much if we can't keep local services?

I went into Swindon dance and had a chat about how they will manage with the budget cut. It was great to hear of the work done in getting dance into the community through schools, and the group for able bodied and the disabled working on performances together. But depressing to hear of things having to stop; including reduced rates for those on low income. I believe the arts should be for all, not based on ability to pay. I accept this can't always be the case, but we had a good thing in Swindon, it was inclusive, it was well used and now we are at risk of losing it.

Did you see this ? Since we have our own parking problems and I could see this working in some of our roads, I think it is worth looking into, what do you think?

I also dropped in on the International Womens Day event yesterday at Broadgreen, I have to confess I avoided the exercise! There was a good turnout and everyone was chatting to each other. It's not on the Adver site yet but here's a link to what Anne Snelgrove MP has to say on the day.

Just off to cook Chilli, it's my daughters 15th birthday meal, I'd have preferred a roast but it's not my choice!

The snow has nearly gone It is a smiley face as although I enjoyed the snow, enough is enough and with many trapped in their homes through fear of a nasty fall, we needed a thaw.
After sledging and walking about in the snow and only falling once, I have now broken my toe by stubbing it on the carpet in my house It hasn't stopped me doing anything, I am just a lot slower and it hurts Can I recommend that you all wears socks or slippers at all times!

As a Labour Group of Councillors we had an information meeting about the Housing options yesterday. Here is the issue as I understand it ;-

As a council, we have 10,552 properties.

We collect rent, and provide up keep to all of these properties.

14P in every £1 paid in rent goes in to a central pot controlled by central Govt for redistribution.

We dont get anything from this redistribution, it goes to councils who cant afford to maintain services through the rent payments. Maybe they have lots of empty properties, I know some councils up north suffer from this.

Anyway I digress, ...

looking ahead we will not be able to maintain the current level of service we give tenants in terms of replacement works, repairs etc as we do now. We can see this by looking at future rents and the money going to the central pot and at our own costs of keeping up repairs and work on the properties.

So

we need to ask everyone who rents one of our properties if they

A. Want to stay with us but will get less from us

B. Want to transfer to someone else, like a housing association who have the benefit of not having to pay into the central pot so keep money we lose.

C. Want to go to an Arms Length Management Organisation (stay as we are but with management services provided by an agency that is separate but reporting to the Council)

D. Want a Private Finance Initiative – a method of attracting private funding to improve the stock, but with the Council still keeping a long term interest in the housing stock

The desision will rest with the tenants. If the choice is to stay with the council we will have to look at ways at getting more for our money and maybe getting more money in.

If it is decided to look beyound the council we will look at which model tenants want before any final desision is made.

Is that any clearer that it was before you started reading my blog ?! If you want to know more do check out the web page here and you can always contact me

News from the Police, Jan 09 newsletter

OPERATION DRIPSTONE

Criminal Damage

Your neighbourhood Police team are undertaking an Operation, with intelligence lead, targeted patrols, to counter the scourge of offences of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour.

We are targeting known locations at key times with a patrol strategy which is geared towards preventing these types of offences.

We are working hard to make your neighbourhood a much safer place to live.

THE MISUSE OF DRUGS

Any use or supply of any illegal drugs will not be tolerated and you, the community have asked us to help you clean up your streets.

If you have any information that may assist the Police in combating drugs offences, please let us know. You can email us at :

parksandwalcoteastnpt@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk

or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

PCSO 6207 Lucy PLUMB

PCSO Lucy PLUMB has joined our team of PCSO’s and hopefully, by now many of you will have seen her or met her. Lucy is already undertaking some great work with the local schools and is already proving to be a valuable and hard working member of the team

Hope you are all wrapped up warm and being careful on the roads and pavements. I've just had an email with the following statments in which I thought it would be useful to pass on to you :-

Gritting

A spokesperson for Swindon Borough Council said: “Despite the national shortage of supplies to grit roads, the Council is well-prepared and coping well with the adverse weather. Although supplies are running low, the usual routes will be gritted tonight, including public transport routes and minor roads. We are also continuing to grit shopping areas and footbridges, in addition to refilling salt boxes. Full details of the gritting routes, and any other changes to services, are available on the Council’s website at www.swindon.gov.uk “

Waste Collection

A spokesperson for Swindon Borough Council said: “Due to the ongoing adverse weather conditions, we are adapting our services where necessary. Kerbside recycling collections may be disrupted. If your box is not emptied, please take it in and save it until next week. Emptying wheelie bins is a more time-consuming process in the snow. Some wheelie bin collections are therefore being delayed. We ask residents to leave their bins out and thank them for their patience. If other wheelie bins in the street have been emptied, residents should call: (01793) 445501 to register a missed collection. Normal waste collection services are expected to resume on Monday (9 Feb).”

Well here we are, another year, recession, enforced holidays from work, redundancies, no Woolworths, it's all changed

Don't forget the open session tomorrow about the options for the future of Swindons Council Housing

There is a Swindon wide information day to be held on Saturday, January 17, from 11am to 3pm, at the Steam Museum in Kemble Drive.

The Parks public meeting on the same is still on February 19th @ 6.30pm, but there will be a new venue, I'll let you know where it will be when I hear.

More events too -

Activity Day for Park South Community Centre Feb 14th 2009
On Saturday 14th February An Adult activity day at the Park South Community and Training Facility Cranmore Avenue, Park South. The day is being organised to give people the opportunity to try a range of different healthy activities FREE.
The programme includes:
Main Hall 10am to 3pm
Wii Bowling and Tennis - Short Mat Bowls and Short Tennis
Large Meeting Room 10am to 12.30pm
Crèche
Tea Dance
Seated Exercise
Tai Chi
Boccia
Salsa
Line Dancing
Health Eating Stall
Primary Care Trust
Swindon Card Promotion
Free Tea and soft drinks
Adults will also have the opportunity to take part in 30 minute walking and/or bike ridding exercise run by trained instructors.
Parents with children will have the opportunity to bring their children along to a crèche run between 10.00am and 12.30pm, so that they are able to join in.

Why not come along with friends and neighbours and have a go the activities are for all adults, no matter what their age and ability. Trained instructors will be on hand to help and advise.

Even if you do not want to join in the activities they can come along have a cup of tea or coffee and look around the Centre. People will be on hand to discuss what local people would like to see running within the Facility.

For more information contact Bob Johnson on 07766368375 or email bob.Johnson@swindon.gov.uk

Instead of hiding my bit on the bottom here I will write again soon with no event info

You've probably see the news already in the Adver
We have 10,500 properties and the consultation is asking what tenants want to do for the future, stay within Council control or move into control of a non for profit organisation, such as a housing association.

There is a Swindon wide information day to be held on Saturday, January 17, from 11am to 3pm, at the Steam Museum in Kemble Drive.

In Parks there is going to a public meeting on February 19th @ 6.30pm, in the Reuben George Community Centre, on Cavendish Square.

Hopefully all tenants will find out all the information and vote whichever way they believe would be best. It is a hard desision. One thing in the favour of leaving the council would be that there would be no national subsidy payment so more of the rent paid would stay local and could be used to improve the housing stock. We give about £9 million at the moment and that would most likely rise next year.

But then we need full information on the implications of leaving the council, what it's like to be under a housing association too to ensure we hear all sides.

No immediate decision needed, they'll be plenty of talk and debate I'm sure.

If I don't blog before, have a very Happy Christmas

Just a quick note about the recycling and rubbish collections -
As PARK SOUTH's normal day is Christmas day, the collection will be made instead on Tues 23rd.
AS PARK NORTH's normal day is Christmas day, the collection will be made instead on Weds 24th.
Hope that's clear!

Not an easy time for anyone just now, I am trying not to get down hearted by the credit crunch and it's effect on peoples lives and jobs. With friends working at Honda, redundancies at the council, and then Woolworths closing it's not surprising it's hard to keep a positive outlook. But I'm trying! Things are busy at the hospital too which is apparently what happens when there is a recession. Keep well, you don't want to be in the busy hospital just now.

Childrens services have all been affected by the baby P incident. Like childrens services everywhere we are looking again at all the families who may need help to prevent any such thing happening here. I do feel for social workers who bear the brunt when things go wrong, I guess noone can stop people insistant on harming children and it is them that deserve the full anger for what they have done. That is not to say lessons can't be learnt and they should be of course. But I do have reservations about the upheaval of whole new reviews and changes in practice that have been suggested. If there was such big overhaul everytime something went wrong in govt, leaked memos on trains etc, perhaps they would see that actually it can mean attention is taken away from the children who we should be focusing on. One good thing it has made many councillors sit up and take note of their responsibility as Corporate parents.

I have been keeping busy, chairing childrens overview which looked at at how we consult with young people and the schools forum which I now know a little more about. There's also been adoption panel, meetings about the Councils bid in for Schools for the future. If we are successful in our bid, it will enable more Swindon secondary schools to have large investment in them for improved buildings, new ways of learning etc. Here's hoping!

I've been trying to get to the bottom of what is happening for youngsters across Park North & Park South. There is a large shortage of youth workers not helped by the council having a recruitment freeze. When someone goes at the moment it means noone can take their place, awful shortgaes everywhere. I am trying to see if more can be done to put across a convincing arguement for more youth workers dispite the freeze as I understand some departments are getting around it. I've left two messages and emailed but have had no reply, I will keep trying.

I did manage to ge to a real warm feeling event last Thursday the Special Schools Concert, is was fantastic. Kids singing all sorts of songs, some soloists, some acting with their walking frames and wheel chairs and others joining in with help to play their drums. They were all stars and seemed to enjoy themselves as much as we did being in the audience. Fantastic.

Have to laugh about the magic roundabouts Christmas tree Here's hoping they have more luck next time. It does add to my concern that the money could have been better spent. Here's hoping it is up soon so we can enjoy it as long as possible.

A POSITIVE change has occurred in the way Swindon school pupils view tobacco
according to the annual school survey results.

A total of 1,652 pupils from secondary and primary schools took part in this year’s Health Related Behaviour Survey, organised by Swindon Borough Council and Swindon Primary Care Trust as members of the Swindon Tobacco Partnership.
Key results in 2008 compared to the first annual survey in 2002 reveal:

• 91% of boys and 93% of girls in 2008 (10/11 year olds) said they had never
tried smoking compared to 78% of boys and 84% of girls in 2002.

• In 2002, 22.5% of Year 10 (14/15 year olds) pupils smoked a cigarette within the previous seven days of the survey, which fell to 18% in 2008

• 16% of Year 10 pupils said they had bought cigarettes from a shop in 2002, which fell to 10% in 2008.

Whilst I am concerned as to how persecuted smokers may feel at the moment, I am very pleased that less young people are taking up smoking. The long term health of those that do smoke is not good, anything we can do to help that is a good thing. For those who do smoke I hope we become a tolerant society respecting an individuals right to choose whilst maintaining a level of measures to prevent the effects of passive smoking.

More locally the Square is changing Good news There are no plans to allow a Christmas market though as the developers are not keen on the informal trading already taking place and don't want to encourage more. Our representative on the regeneration board did try.

Apparently the Reuban George Hall may be turned over to the Youth service for their use. I first heard about this at the Forum meeting last week as if it had already happened though I'm not sure it has. It would be great to have youth activities central to the ward although I am concerned at the total loss of the community facility. If it were up to me I would prefer youth services to access it as and when ie. Every Friday night, so the rest of us could use it at other times. We will see what happens.

We had a lunchtime meeting on 106 money today; this is the money that is gievn to the Council when there is a development. The money goes towards facilities for those who will move in, schools, community facilities, parks, roads etc. I have asked how much Parks has had and where it has gone as we have seen the development of the Square and smaller patches of new housing elsewhere and so far I don't know where all the 106 money has gone. I'll let you know when I hear.

It's been a busy week mainly because I squeezed an extra night shift in in preparation for paying for Christmas! I have managed to keep on top of Council work too, with 6 meetings since I last wrote plus Full Council. Typically the one Council I can't make ends at 8.30, next time when I am there we will all be there until 10pm!

Carers - big respect
Last Saturday I was out with Anne Snelgrove the MP and a team of people and I heard an incredible story when a woman told me of her life, caring for her parents. Wow, what a story, what a women. It wasnt that they were anything other than normal elderly parents who found life harder and harder without help but it was that she sacrificed her own career, social life etc to be there for them, her story has stayed with me all week. I know there are many many out there doing just the same, so this is for carers everywhere who care for parents, children, neighbours (we had a lady over 90 admitted to my ward this week who's neighbour had been caring for her). Huge, huge respect and admiration. If I could wish for one thing for carers it would be that they got looked after too, whether that is through respite, day centres, holiday clubs (children) or just having a long relaxing soak in the bath with the door locked and phone off without fear of being called out...quickly! If you or anyone you know is caring, please encourage them to take time for themselves too.

Youth Led Meeting
One meeting this week was taken by the youth forum. They challenged us by looking at transport and leisure costs, whether we listen to them and report back, the need for youth facilities and how they are seen in the media. The youngsters that led the meeting were brilliant, confident, clear on their points and brief when they made them; some councillors could learn from them! It was a very valuable meeting and I will be keeping an eye on some of the points made to see how we progress and make changes.

Arts Centre
I'm also on a task group which is looking at the Swindon Arts Centre, so any comments at all you have on that please let me know. Ever been? What did you think? If not do you know where it is? What would get you there? What have you heard about it? etc