Mark VINER lives in Redhouse and has lived in Swindon most of his life.  He works locally and, having recently married, understands the problems of  young people and families in North Swindon.  He is shocked by the problems that reception children have in finding a local school.

Mark says “Parents are being let down by the Tory council, with reception children unable to find a local school and siblings being split up.  There is chronic overcrowding at schools like Catherine Wayte.  With schools becoming academies and the possibility of free schools, we need to hold a town-wide review of school provision and ensure all our children receive the best possible education”

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Maura CLARKE has lived in Swindon for the past 8 years, having moved from London to be with her family.  Maura is a voluntary adviser at the Citizens Advice Bureau, and has worked in the national media.  She is dismayed by planned changes in the NHS and in the Disability Living Allowance. She feels that the Council is not doing enough to spend developer contributions in the ward, and is not consulting with the Parish Council about what improvements are needed in the area.

Maura says – “£4m of investment committed by the developers of Abbey Meads was lost because of inaction by the Council. This money was earmarked for a new link road to the town centre, as well as a sports hall, pitches and community facilities.  It now appears that of the money that was spent, only 16% came to Abbey Meads and Haydon Wick wards.  This is a shocking waste when Haydon Wick is very much in need of facilities.”

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Wayne SMITH has lived in Swindon for almost 13 years and has experience running a small business.  He’s worried that the promised flood wall in Haydon Wick has not yet materialised, and that not enough is being done to restore the town centre, fix transport links, and make Swindon a vibrant place for new businesses and job creation.

Wayne says “Residents of Haydon Wick want the Council to have a clear strategy for transport – the developers set aside money for the western link route from Thamesdown Road to Great Western Way – and the Council did nothing to use this money in time.  It has now been lost but Labour will safeguard this route and fight it see it planned and constructed.  Labour will also work with the Parish Council to provide an integrated network of cyclepaths to allow fast commuting to town.”

Mark, Maura and Wayne can be emailed on HaydonWick@swindon-labour.co.uk and phoned on 07891 549225, 07811 142413 and 07970 208885 respectively

Support VINER-CLARKE-SMITH for a better Haydon Wick

The overall aim of these meetings is to ensure that as a local Labour Party, we are in tune with the people we represent or seek to represent. The Swindon Labour Party’s contact with, and understanding of our residents should always be our first concern. This will also help raise the profile of the local Labour Party in areas we have previously not had much contact with.

I have asked all Swindon Labour Party members, whether they are current councillors, prospective councillors or other local activists, to be able to be involved in this work. It will benefit Labour as a whole in Swindon to help raise our profile; however the main aim of these events will be to ensure that the local Labour Party is in tune with local peoples’ views on how their town should be run.

The first meeting will cover Haydon Wick & Priory Vale wards on the 16th of November. I hope to arrange other such meetings in the run up to the May elections.

Councillor Jim Grant

Swindon Labour Group Leader