Parks Councillor Swindon - What have I been doing?

What a week, last minute shopping and sorting out before kids all home and Santa comes

It's been busy on the Council side too, with a meeting about social services for older residents. Great news about their two stars. We were able to hear about that and where they are going from here. I shared some of my experiences from both working at GWH and as a relief warden for a sheltered housing scheme. In both these jobs I have seen how things have improved with social services which is great It appears
there is not enough respite care though. Possibly however much there is may never be enough, but as we are looking after more people at home now rather than in care homes or hospital the need for respite care is very real and will be something I'll continue to question on.

On Thursday, I missed both the Housing awards and the Civic Carol service as my husband had a prize giving at his school so I was at home with the kids.

Saturday I went to a gymnastics display which Esprit gym club put on, it was fantastic, what talent we have in Swindon. I've been exchanging emails with them for some time as they do not have much longer in their building and face an uncertain furture. I hope the Council does all it can to support them as they search for a new gym. They have British Champions already and no doubt more developing, we've got to invest in them all.

On Sunday I dropped into the bangladeshi centre, they were having a fundraising lunch for victims of the cyclone. There were lots of peole there when I was there so I hope they raised lots of money.

It's a shame Councillor Wren didn't turn up to Scrutiny on Monday, sorry about that I'd understood he'd be there. I gather lots of questions were raised concerning the way the wheelie bins and fortnightly collections have been handled. Hopefully he'll make it along to the future meeting being arranged for him to answer some of the questions.

I've also been dealing with a few calls that have been coming in, mainly house repairs although one issue with a school too.

Not sure I'll be posting again before next Tuesday so please have a good Christmas, and hopefully we'll all have a happy healthy 2008

It's turning into a once weekly blog, so may be it's best to do a weekly review Here goes :

Weds 5th The opening of Evelyn House, this is a supported housing scheme next to the Dotors at Cavendish Sqaure. I couldn't make the opening due to a previous engagement, but had already made some calls and found out all about it.

We also had a corporate parenting meeting, looking at the services our looked after children are getting. It raised some issues but these are in hand.

The highlight of last Weds must have been the Special Carol Service in the evening. We went along only because my son was in it with his school, but I want to go every year now. It was lots of children from Swindon's special schools each having a slot to perform. Physically disabled kids from Commonweal had formed a band the PI's, they played and were great. Nylands sang, Brimble Hill sang, Westlea had a play. I can't put into words how special the whole event was, the highlight for me has got to be the girl from Brimble Hill singing " Walking in the Air" , it was a tears in the eyes moment.

Thurs 6th I had a meeting re Education Other than at School. Sadly I went to the wrong venue and couldn't find the meeting so having driven accross Swindon came home I've emailed an apology.

Fri 7th, Sat 8th, Sun 9th I had union training as I am becoming a rep at work. My husband got the awful bug that's going around so we had a quiet weekend mainly trying to keep from infecting each other and other people. I should mention our disapointment at Swindons loss on Saturday and even more so our concern re the future of the Town with no manager and no money I keep hearing noises from residents re investing in the club rather than a canal. It will be a loss if Swindon go down, not least of all because it will make living with my husband unbearable for a few weeks at least!

Mon 10th More Union work and last night it was the Councils SACRE meeting, looking at RE in schools. Good meeting, with talk of visiting schools to see how RE is taught but not wanting to put pressure on teaching staff who already do so much. We also hope to have a bank of resources schools can borrow as they have to borrow from Bristol at the moment.

Over the week I've had calls from residents still having problems with the rubbish and recycling collections. There's a scrutiny meeting looking at issues that have come up re this on Monday 17th Dec at the Civic, Euclid Street 6.30pm. Cllr Wren the Lead Member in charge of this service will be there, do go along

Other calls have included more on the street/ neighbourhood warden survey, leaking pipes and damp in a flat. It keeps me busy.
Have a good week.

We had a presentation at Labour group last night about the canal, very interesting.

For me the idea of the canal does raise big concerns. I'm not against the idea, in fact I'd love a canal nearer that Devizes, I've been on that one twice, only hit the side of the bank once and had a great time! I also have colleagues with narrowboats and I can see what it means to them.

My worries are

- the cost, £60 million quoted last night to set it up plus the annaul costs involved as it'll most likely be too small for British waterways to take on.

- then, and this my major concern, there's the issue of compromising one of the two routes through and into Swindon from junction 16, West Swindon, Wootton Bassett etc, by the loss of Wootton Bassett road and Westcott place as routes in. It was said last night that the studies that had been done were based on looking at a traffic model for 2010-2016 at which point the whole town will be so overloaded with traffic that the loss of this route would not make much difference Unsurprisingly I was not reaasssured by this! If I'd been told, there were replacement routes planned it would sit more comfortably with me, but this reassurance was not given. As one colleague put it, we'll all need two cars, one either side of the canal

Please, please whenever you are part of a discussion about the canal bring this up, it would be awful to have the canal but not be able to access all areas of Swindon. I'm not wishing to scaremonger, I just have genuine concern.