Wi-Failed : Digital City Boss Paid £82,000 of Our Money

The boss of Swindon Borough Council-funded Digital City was paid £82,000 for 'coaching fees' during his tenure. The news is in today's Swindon Advertiser, a link to come later.

The company was set up to provide Borough-wide Wi-Fi access through an initial £400,000 loan from Swindon Borough Council.

The company failed to meet a single target and is dead in the water.

Swindon Centric Says ; Disgusting, shameful. To paraphrase a previously used line, if you stand on the top of the David Murray John Building (where Digital City were given free offices by Swindon Borough Council), on a clear day you can see a democratic council.

Swindon Council 'Slash & Burn' Land Transfer Before Election

A day after Coate Water was lost, a first-hand story from Councillor Russell (Labour, Gorse Hill & Pinehurst) of the shocking procedure of land transfering from Swindon Borough Council to developers.

The attempt to complete the deal over the land before the May election smacks of desperation and deep unprofessionalism.

Swindon Centric Says ; What the heck are our council playing at? Transparency and democracy, pah.

The Battle for Coate Is Lost

The battle for land close to Coate Water Country Park has been lost, the planning decision, which went to appeal, has now been granted.

890 homes will be built on land at Commonhead and the decision to build the Great Western Hospital over a decade ago unlocked the land and made any planning refusal difficult to justify.

52,000 people did not want this, the MP for South Swindon did not want this, some majority councillors privately did not want this.

Apart from Persimmon, who in Swindon wanted this?

Swindon Centric Says ; The battle for Coate is over, but the battle for Swindon's other green fields is just beginning. Long term planning now demands voters become heavily involved and stand over the shoulders of Swindon Borough Council and it's councillors watching their every move and decision.

They work for us.

Perkins Park 2 Election Blow-Out?

Will the building of an urban park in the Davis Place area work?

Swindon Centric Says ; How will the Sainsburys delivery lorry be kept from tearing up the grass? We need plans and details please Councillor Perkins, but at £225,000 it better be bloody good.

Swindon Centric did actually see a couple of people using the Fleming Way Park today for it's intended purpose, so it might work!

Bus Reinstatement Buys Extra Time

Congratulations to all concerned with getting the hybrid 21/23 bus service reinstatement done.

I've been informed on Twitter (by Dorcandave, tip of the hat) that Thamesdown Transport (Swindon's bus company that the Council, and therefore us, all own) carries 175,000 passengers each week. 600 people signed the petition to get the bus service reintroduced, it better translate to bus passenger numbers.

Swindon Centric Says ; If you signed the petition, you should be first at the stop on the day of launch, reasonable ticket prices to suit all pockets!

Swindon Election : Councillors Start Self-Parody

The story about Councillor Vera Tomlinson being shocked at being offered drugs at Redhouse Shops in North Swindon needs no further comment from me as the Swindon Adver and the comments by Inspector Charlie Ducker (great name) do the job for me.

Just read the story here.

Swindon Centric Says ; Welcome to the 20th Century Councillor Tomlinson! Are you ready for us to tell you about text speak? We'll keep that bombshell for next week.

Swindon Elections : Midsomer Murders Excitement With Post Box Pledge

You'd imagine in a drug-riddled part of town such as North Swindon, the provision of things like post boxes would be low on a politician's radar.

But not so!

Swindon Centric Says ; I can't wait to see the election leaflet for the area, what other goodies does it contain? A pledge for all youngsters to address elders with a cap doff and only real fruit in the area's jam-making parties? I hope so.

It's a tough life being a ward politician, especially if you're one of those that's just woken up and realised there's a election in May.

'What ward am I running in? What's the policies? Budget cuts, town expansion, business investment, post boxes. I'll go with the post boxes I think."

If this the biggest issue in the Priory Vale ward, then some people aren't looking hard enough.

Swindon Elections : Your Bandwagon Is Blocking The (Redhouse) Way

The suspension of the introduction of long-overdue parking restrictions in North Swindon is as much about pre-election panicking as fixing the problem.

The problem of on-street parking in Redhouse Way has existed for 6 years. Known by residents, visitors, and drivers. There is room for these vehicles to park in the side streets and it's the way to fix it. However, councillors for the wards involved seem to have taken umbrage to the idea of Swindon Borough Council getting round to instituting 'no waiting' stretches to the road.

Could it be that the councillors want to be seen to be involved in the process, even though it's a no-brainer? They kick up a mini-fuss with 'other solutions' to be evaluated (and they would be? Extra car parking spaces? And the money for that, from where?). Then, the original fix to the problem is carried out, but under the guise of 'look what your councillors have done, we work hard for you'.

Swindon Centric Says ; This bandwagon-jumping is an obvious as a Ford Ka blocking a bus number 15 to town, no-one is taken in by it.

Your councillors election campaigning in North Swindon ; what have they been doing for the previous 2/4 years, trying to park?

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses (Last, Last, Last, Last) Last Week ; 243

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

10. All about what Sophie said, but she's so immature.

9. The night seemed to go on forever.

8. The weather's so gloomy I'll be hard-pressed to find anything worthy to say.

7. I'm so excited, but I bet Steve will come along and find something to make me feel rubbish.

6. I woke up without any pants on.

5. Try eating more fibre, when did you last encounter an apple that wasn't deep fried?

4. You need to remember that accounts are the same department that caught Al Capone.

3. Stop taking all the stationary, some of us actually need paperclips for proper purposes.

2. I always take my bags for life, then forget they're in my pocket.

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

1. Someone forgot that it was her birthday, so we nipped to Tescos and bought her some no-frills vodka, she seemed quite touched.

Overheard something we've missed? Then email swindoncentric@gmail.com or leave a comment and your phrase could make it onto next weeks list!

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses (Last, Last, Last, Last, Last) Last Week ; 242

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

10. I remember seeing smoke, but no Indians.

9. You can do it properly, or not at all.

8. He waltzed off and I had to make up the whole time.

7. They always go to play dominos, thrilling I know.

6. I take it that these pants are ones you'll be wearing for special occasions?

5. Only half the lights are on, who do I see about that?

4. It's called a suspection inspection. Sounds serious and severe, but quite quirky.

3. Treating her like that makes me want to become violent, but you've seen my lack of upper body strength.

2. She jumped forward at the lights, I missed by about a foot and a half.

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

1. The sun was coming up over Great Western Way and I thought it looked rather beautiful, don't tell anyone.

Overheard something we've missed? Then email swindoncentric@gmail.com or leave a comment and your phrase could make it onto next weeks list!

Last Waltz At The Locarno?

The owner of Swindon's derelict Locarno/Corn Exchange/Old Town Hall has applied for permission to demolish the remaining structure.

Previously the site was to be rebuilt, but permission to build on the adjacent carpark (which would make the plan economically viable) was withdrawn by councillors and the latest area of limbo began.

Coming only a few days after Leader of the Council Rod Bluh declared his support for getting the building restored, this could be another crunch moment for Swindon Borough Council's attitude towards the town's heritage. A similar situation occurred for the Mechanic's Institute, which, far from being restored, is on the agenda of the Prince's Trust for a long-term project.

Swindon Centric Says ; The easy option would be to grant Mr Gael MacKenzie permission to demolish the building. Go for the difficult option and dive into the deep end of long-term restoration and commitment. This town needs ownership of it's heritage and that needs courage and political commitment.

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses (Last, Last, Last, Last, Last, Last) Last Week ; 241

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

10. He got the boot.

9. It must stem from his fear of responsibility.

8. I bought a cup of tea and waited until the reduced the price of the fresh bread.

7. You saved 7 pence, talk about tight.

6. Keep your opinion and body odour to yourself.

5. But there isn't a top deck, so your double-capacity strategy is laughable.

4. Everyone saw him out with her, she'd got the face that would suited being stuck on a wooden wall mount.

3. Try and remember why he even thinks it's a good idea to buy a facelift voucher for Jackie.

2. No, we didn't have pasta, I had spaghetti.

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

1. There's only so many ways you can use spinach without making pie out of it.

Overheard something we've missed? Then email swindoncentric@gmail.com or leave a comment and your phrase could make it onto next weeks list!

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses (Last, Last, Last, Last, Last, Last, Last) Last Week ; 240

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

10. It plays really quietly and nearly goes silence.

9. Tuneage.

8. It's not the easiest thing to do, but it'll stop the limp.

7. Carol told me in confidence, which is why that's not her real name, to protect the gossips.

6. Keep him on your left and move forward.

5. The job has been changed, so they can replace him.

4. It doesn't seem fair on those who wear cut-off trousers.

3. But we didn't buy any water so you can't have any clean feet.

2. It would not surprise me if we all get told how bad a job we're doing when we hit the target.

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

1. He only played him once, then they replaced his role with a door handle.

Overheard something we've missed? Then email swindoncentric@gmail.com or leave a comment and your phrase could make it onto next weeks list!

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses (Last, Last, Last, Last) Last Week ; 239

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

10. All I need is a rescue and that'll do it.

9. Come back after 10 minutes and it'll look slightly better.

8. She left all his clothes on the sofa and woke up when Paul came in.

7. But with the discount, you're actually paying more, stop buying chocolate.

6. Don't let him be that manipulative, stand up.

5. Doesn't mean she's going to be a good mother, she's not cut out for it.

4. Turn the other cheek and take the high road.

3. Sandie said they'd all hear come April.

2. You know what needs doing, no-one else has the authority.

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

1. Hold on tight, he takes the curves at quite a speed.

Overheard something we've missed? Then email swindoncentric@gmail.com or leave a comment and your phrase could make it onto next weeks list!