Wi-Failed ; Bathgate Council Confirm No Contact From Swindon's Wi-Fi Scrutinisers

Chloroform, oh, I'm sure some wish they were sleeping through this mess.

A simple letter to West Lothian Council has revealed that they received no contact from any of the 'Scrutinising Four' as I like to now call them.

This follows the suggestion by many of those involved in Digital City that the reason the business hasn't been doing well (or okay, or fine, or adequate) is because people have been taking about it.

Swindon Centric Says ; A transparent, responsive, professional local authority, welcome to West Lothian, you are now leaving the Borough of Swindon.

This just remembered...

One of those that decided to wrongly name names about the stalling of the Digital City wi-fi was everyone's favourite North Swindon MP, on the Graham Mack BBC Wiltshire Breakfast Show and Swindon Centric, along with others has the download.

The clock for apologising continues to tick...

Wi-Failed : Swindon Quango Awards Money to Swindon-Failed Business To Do More Failing

Like a bad cheap paper-back, the wi-fi struggles on, sweaty, out of breath and on the verge of collapsing the town's dignity.

Swindon-based quango (that's a government body, with public money, but kept at arms length and told to get on with it) Technology Strategy Board awarded the Swindon Signal project (the failing business that's been given nearly half a million pounds of Swindon taxpayer's money, with nothing to show for it) £331,000 in total.

For the full details, click here.

Swindon Centric Says ; Will TSB withdraw their funding after realising the dog's breakfast of a situation Digital City/Signal/Aqovia are in?

This just in...

Currently the link to the TSB press release (from November, so this is old but certainly not out of date news) isn't working. Are they reconsidering the award of the funding?

Top Ten Things Heard On Swindon's Buses Last (Last, Last) ; 188

Click here for the original and still the best at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. There's sun and showers for all.

9. Guess what, she's still his wife, even after all this time.

8. Put your phone away and look at me please.

7. When it got rubbish, you should have changed the channel.

6. It's time for you to just pick yourself up and carry on.

5. In the name of God I don't care at all, just let me read this.

4. We've had this conversation a few times this week.

3. I saw them in New Look, then decided I couldn't buy them and feel ethical at the same time.

2. Corned beef, tomatoes and celery.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. You're on my list of suspects after my packet of biscuits went missing from special drawer, you could be untrustworthy.

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.

Top Ten Things Heard On Swindon's Buses Last (Last, Last, Last) ; 187

Click here for the original and still the best at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. I think you're doing great, even if nobody else does.

9. We need to end this right now, before one of us gets hurt.

8. She came in after the 5th date and said they were getting engaged.

7. From his marriage to all that's happened with Shelley, the man must be exhausted.

6. Just because the teabags don't produce the colour you're use to, it doesn't mean there's a plot afoot.

5. I should take you on tour with a sound like that.

4. Where did she go, the top deck?

3. The card readers are going, as the tech moves on.

2. I'm just surprised that it took him this long to start talking.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. There's a whole lot of snobbery between Rodbourne and Rodbourne Cheney.

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.

Wi-Failed : The Digital City is Offline

For a wi-fi company that's meant to be "innovative", the vanishing of your website doesn't inspire confidence in any potential investors.

But that's exactly what's happened with Swindon resident's-funded Digital City (they have £450,000 of our money), who's website vanished into the clear-blue sky yesterday.

Swindon Centric Says ; A valentine's Day business massacre? Everyone'll be wearing red, so it wouldn't show, got to look at the tiny positives.

Wi-Failed : In Every Medium, The Failures Are Recorded

Online, on the airwaves, and now in print the calls for an end to the Digital City era have been made.

Read Des Morgan's view and analysis of this here.

Swindon Centric Says : Save our Swindon, our money, our name and our reputation, wind up Digital City now.

Wi-Failed : SOS - Save Our Swindon

If the council leader can invoke the Swindon coat of arms and motto, so can any of us.

A review of what the latest level of bizzare activity at Digital City means for Swindon has come to the ultimate conclusion.

Read Geoff Reid's post here.

Swindon Centric Says ; If those involved aren't willing to step-down then it requires that residents step-up and highlight the embarrassment, waste and hostility this project has caused Swindon. This town is ours, those who work, live and grow-up here.

This project is causing serious and deep damage to our town, those involved have a decision to make, see it through the eyes of the people of Swindon and decide.

Health and industry, so our motto is... but is this industrial project about as healthy as a dead parrot?

Wi-Failed : The Case of the Accidental Director, AGAIN!!

Like a Saw film sequel, it just gets worse...

Avidity Consulting, the company that owns shares in Digital City (the company we, the residents of Swindon have a stake in) changed it's Director at the end of 2010. Read Geoff Reid's post here, it's explained far better than I could.

Swindon Centric Says ; How can you give up shares in a company you're no longer Director of?

A line has to be drawn in the sand, end this fool's errand. It was a bad business investment, it was just bad. For the sake of the town, it needs to end now.

Wi-Failed : Mack Holds Digital City's Failures Up To The Light

Congratulations to Graham Mack (BBC Wiltshire) for holding Rikki Hunt to account (click on the first link with the title 'Ricki Hunt talks about Swindon's wifi' for the full interview) for the quagmire that is Digital City.

Swindon Centric Says : A hat tip to Graham Mack. With the reinvigorated efforts from the Swindon Advertiser and now the BBC, it would appear those based on the hill have cleaned off the field-glasses and are peering once again down towards the Civic Offices, well done chaps.

Wi-Failed : No Repayments for 3 Months - Council To Repossess Own Lamposts

October, ahh, the month of autumn, golden days with crisp frosts, crunchy leaves and the ancient festival of Halloween.

Do you remember last October?

If not, you should. It was the last month that Digital City (the business that has £450,000 of public money from Swindon Borough Council, as a loan) repaid anything to Swindon Borough Council.

Swindon Centric Says ; But not to worry, we've been assured a private investor is waiting in the wings to buy out/in Digital City and it's conditional on us getting our money back, as our-councillor-on-the-board has said.

Hold on though, wasn't this the same councillor who said the money was being paid back?

Swindon Centric's probably just light-headed from the private investor promise, Lord Ashcroft-backed investor maybe? Sounds super!