The dismantling of Swindon : Ideological agenda rears it's head at Lydiard

The twists and turns of councillors and SBC officers shows up the Lydiard House and Park sell-off for what it is : a crude and quick exercise in accountancy driven by a ideological political agenda to dismantle Swindon's civic infrastructure while using the smoke and mirrors to cover your arse as you go.

The claims that the subsidy for Lydiard 'cannot carry on' is not an absolute carved in stone. It's simply  a local extension of national government policy for reducing the size of the state for political ideology.

The Conservatives lay the cause for this austerity and permanent reduction in the size of the state at the door of Labour for overspending massively when in power. Never mind that the majority of money was spent bailing out the banks in the later years to keep the financial system from collapsing in on itself and dragging the economy down. Despite this being fact, Labour have never, since even in the run-up to the 2010 election, been able to get that across to the electorate in any measurable amount.

Certain SBC assets and projects seem to still be happily on the balance sheet at having subsidy thrown at them, the Whalebridge Car Park, STEAM, the art gallery rebuild project, Forward Swindon and more.

SBC is now simply an accounting exercise, how much can be sold off and assets-stripped, or handed over to parish councils.

And Lydiard? Well SBC cannot now confirm that a sell-off would not see restricted public use of the park, and why? Because no matter what's been said prior, if someone wades in and waves enough money, SBC will sing like a canary.

None of this is being done for the greater good, it's being done by a ruling party hell-bent on reducing the size of local government because it positively salivates at the thought of the private sector doing everything in town.

The only two hopes :

- That the local Labour party come out with all guns blazing and defend it to the bitter end, that this is the ultimate line in Swindon's sands. Turn up the volume Swindon Labour and draft in some big names.

- People power, start by signing the petition.

Swindon needs leaders of vision, a council of high ideals, not politically ideological monkeys in suits pretending to play monopoly with the very civic fabric of our town.