On the 23rd of February Swindon’s Councillors will be setting a budget for the forthcoming financial year. The Conservative administration has proposed a budget based on their priorities last week. There is some common ground on this budget. Recognising the tough times for many of Swindon’s families, Labour welcomes the use of government funding to [...]

Last week the Swindon Advertiser covered a public meeting where an estimated 150 Old Town residents attended an open meeting to discuss how to fight Swindon’s Conservative Councillors against their decision to propose a school on the Croft site and the granting of planning permission for the school to be sited at Croft. I  have [...]

The Labour Group Leader, Councillor Jim Grant, has called for a halt to the Croft Development until local residents’ concerns about the process of the school being granted have been heard. The Labour Group Leader has also written to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Rod Bluh, requesting that he join him in meeting leaders [...]

The Swindon Labour Group Leader, Councillor Jim Grant, promises to undertake a school place review should Labour take control of the Council in 2012. This is part of Labour’s aspiration to provide good local schools for all of Swindon’s children, and so improve on the current unsatisfactory system. At next year’s local elections in Swindon, [...]

Swindon’s Labour Party will be fighting next year’s local election campaign with a promise to “turn the lights back on in Swindon”, by reversing the Conservative administration’s decision in July to switch off more than 400 streetlights in Swindon.  The Swindon Labour Group Leader explains why the Labour Party have taken this decision. This week [...]

This Wednesday the Swindon Labour Party is holding a public meeting, starting at 7pm at the Haydon Wick Parish Council Offices. I would like to invite all North Swindon residents to attend this meeting and to share their views on the issues that matter to them. I have established this meeting along with other Labour Councillors, to [...]

The Labour Group Leader reacts to the news that Swindon Borough Council has budgeted to spend £11.5m to pay-off the interest payments on its debts in the 2012/13 financial year. This is an increase of £1.5m from the 2011/12 Council budget. The Council’s existing debt is £80m, however it is expected that this will increase [...]

I have been informed by elderly tenants living within Council-managed Elderly Person Group Dwellings (EPGDs) that the Council have been telling them that they may lose their wardens if they do not vote Yes to Stock Transfer. The fact that this Tory administration is telling residents of Elderly Persons Group Dwellings (EPDGs) that unless they [...]

The Swindon Labour Party is instigating a “Labour Listens” campaign in which we will hold public meetings around the town, particularly in places which are currently without Labour councillors. The purpose of these meetings will be to allow residents to share their views with the local Labour Party, so that we can attempt to resolve [...]

The Swindon Labour Group Leader, Councillor Jim Grant, has called on Swindon Borough Council’s Conservative administration to delay the approval of a deal with a new mystery Wi-Fi investor until more detail is given as to how the Council will get back the £400,000 originally loaned to Digital City. JIm Grant said: “Though it is [...]