I’m delighted to have been selected as Labour Candidate for Eastcott in the Borough elections on May 5th 2011.  I have lived in Eastcott Ward for 14 years and all my three children are schooled locally. I have lived in Swindon for 42 years, and was educated in the state system. Swindon has ensured that I have been able to run my own business and provide for my family. I have been a self employed IT consultant for 12 years working in the public and private sector.

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I graduated from university in November 2009 and I have been actively involved in local politics for about 2 years. I had the honour of being selected the Labour candidate for Councillor for Eastcott Ward.

I was born and raised in Eastcott and have lived here my entire life for 25 years. I lived on Euclid street for 16 years and Curtis street for 9 years. I have seen the neglect under the Tories of our local playgrounds and the huge increase in the cost of parking permits for residents. To add Insult to injury the Tories tried to cut services to the most vulnerable people of our town by trying to cut £50,000 from Dial-a-Ride, which is relied upon by the elderly and disabled. Fortunately, they failed due to tough opposition from local people.

I believe every country needs a strong welfare state to support our people in general because it will create a more happier and prosperous society. Swindon and especially Eastcott need good public services

If we want Swindon to be a great place to live then we must regenerate the town centre and develop brown field sites as well as protecting Coate water. We need to remove the obstacles to good service delivery and the first obstacle is the Tory control of the council. My political heroes of the 20^th century are Tony Benn (Leader of the stop the war coalition), Sir Clement Attlee (British Prime Minister 1945-1951) and Nye Bevan (Founder of the NHS). We know that by working together we can achieve more for the working class and the middle class who are the ones who create wealth, jobs and decent public services. We must not be fooled by Chameleon Cameron politics, the Tories are going to cut everything except Michael Heseltine’s hair. You only have to look at what the Tory run council have cut and what they have proposed to cut in Swindon.

The Liberal Democrats have failed to deliver a second traffic light crossing for Kingshill road, they have failed to clean up and repair Savernake playground as well as the playground behind Curtis Street. I live in Curtis Street so I have suffered like other residents as a result of their incompetence in Eastcott.

Resident priorities I am going to fight for include:

• Return ‘Residents Parking back to resident’s control and fight against price increases in parking permits.
• Build/Acquire more council houses.
• Protect urban spaces and gardens.
• Reduce Eastcott Residential roads down to 20MPH.
• Ensure local accountability and fair charging for council services.
• Press for more Eastcott School places for Eastcott children.
• Work for a sustainable solution for the Mechanics Institute.
• Correct the Tories mistakes on Street Cleaning and Waste.
• Bring back the speed camera’s the Tories abolished.
• Introduce gates and fences around Faringdon Park and all cemeteries to prevent vandalism.
• Have traffic lights installed on Kingshill Road.
• Most important of all we must try to Balance the Council Budget.
• Tackle Graffiti and rubbish dumping by imposing heavy fines.
• Helping Businesses on Victoria road acquire parking spaces, which the Tories abolished while raising their business rates.

Please contact me by email with any questions you have.

Mustofa Gulam