Heenan's Half-Resignation In Council Tax Dispute

"A blip on the radar" is what Dale Heenan called his late payment dispute of council tax that saw his name revealed today and his resignation from the cabinet, but remaining as a councillor.

It seems odd that resigning from his cabinet post but not as a councillor was seen as an appropriate response especially when he also recognised that councillors should be held to a higher standard than a member of the public.

In a last hurrah for Heenan's flagship project as Cabinet Member for Sustainability, Transport & Highways, the tarmac at Bruce Street Bridges that started to crack yesterday evening, just 7 months after the long delayed project was deemed finished, was being replaced this lunchtime, causing 30 minute delays to thousands of Swindon travellers.

They were replacing one metre square area of tarmac.

Cheers Dale! Good to see your council tax being well spent!

Rotten Borough Reality - Democratic Transparency Optional Extra in Swindon

Swindon Borough Council has refused to name the Swindon Borough Councillor who was taken to court for not paying their council tax, with the now legendary quote that "we would not release the details of a member of the public in such circumstances". They then say that they consider a councillor has the same right to privacy.

It appears they have no legal leg to stand on, as other local authorities have named councillors under the same circumstances. Meanwhile the dismissive attitude of SBC on a matter of transparency when councillors should be held to a greater level of moral integrity than anyone else in the town shows just how far things have fallen in the rotten borough.

So, like the Swindon Advertiser (which gets top marks for some quality local political coverage), Swindon Centric says : Give us the name.

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses Last Week ; 345

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

10. That's her in the photo, pointing towards the door.

9. I prefer prosecco myself.

8. It's all mud, right the way the front door of the shop.

7. He ran off holding his scratch card and singing.

6. We snuck into the bad guys treehouse lair.

5. She's quite right wing in her views, she should be in Trump's cabinet.

4. No there were prawns in it and you know that we don't agree with each other.

3. There were four together and the drivers were all laughing.

2. Tina had nothing but goat's cheese and tic tacs in her handbag.

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

1. We'd probably have accidentally cooked ourselves in the night.

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

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses Last Week ; 344

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

10. She was as nice as pie.

9. That's what's so amazing about her.

8. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or hit him.

7. You look like you've got a spray tan.

6. But really, I've got a serious question for you concerning our future.

5. You can keep those fish fingers I've no interest.

4. You are evil, you are an evil man.

3. It's been so successful I didn't know where to look.

2. They've said it could be a lie.

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

1. You know back in the day we could let someone apply for it and turn them down for being an idiot, now we have no choice but to offer them the job,

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

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses Last (Last) Week ; 343

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

10. But you don't need me to tell you that.

9. We need to keep it secret until it's announced.

8. Someone from X-Factor, it could be the producer for all I know.

7. Mandy already told Gil what he wanted to hear.

6. No 20 million, it's a really big number.

5. Forget about that until we get home.

4. Scrap that as a present, I'll just get him a voucher.

3. You have no sense of decorum.

2. But it was on my phone, it's true.

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

1. He actually won, so what happens now?

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

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses Last (Last) Week ; 342

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

10. Continue along here and turn left at the top.

9. There was frost, then rain, then sun.

8. It's the responsibility of all those people who you see upstairs.

7. He doesn't really have a home if you consider it.

6. They're changing it but no-one understands.

5. Is that the same dress you had on yesterday?

4. You've really got to work at being better for her.

3. The first word out of her mouth was moaning.

2. Shocked and horrified sums it up mate.

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

1. There's no way he will win.

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

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses Last (Last) Week ; 341

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

10. I win, you loser.

9. You're fit, where's the problem?

8. I want a motobike, then a KFC.

7. It's a Christmas shop, all the usually glittery crappiness.

6. I like to keep those type of details to myself.

5. There's less details after it was revealed she was having an affair.

4. No, you want Fleming Way first.

3. The lights went out, someone screamed, then it all kicked off.

2. Claire wanted far more, but she didn't have enough bags to carry them all.

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

1. Who the hell did he think he was looking at? A mirror?

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

Roads to Nowhere?

Stagecoach in Swindon is rejigging routes, numbers and times in the regular merry-go-round of Swindon bus routes. Remember that Thamesdown passengers in East Swindon have seen their 1/1A in the last few years go to a split route number 2, rejoined to the 1/1A and restoring the link to West Swindon and recently again cut back to be it's own number 2 East Swindon-only service.

Merry-go-round indeed.

Stagecoach's changes which come in next week has already raised the hackles of Wroughton folk for rerouting the number 9 via Wharf Road (a dicey road if ever there was one), but it will service Waitrose and Wichelstowe, which is to be welcomed.

However, scant details on other routes and times seem to have gone unnoticed, but passengers in West Swindon are in for a shock as the 8 and 9 serving Freshbrook and Toothill are renumbered to the number 10, and continue from town to Kingsdown. 

It doesn't seem so bad, until you finally find a map and discover what's in store. The number 10 will run from town to Toothill, Freshbrook and then terminate at the Link Centre, returning to town via the same route.

You can see, on paper, at least, the sense of removing as many route miles as possible from the main roads, which at peak times, all over town, throw all operator's times into a cocked hat. But passengers will now find that whereas Freshbrook to town passengers will have a faster journey time to town (taken as Freshbrook Centre to the Bus Station, currently 27 minute weekday daytimes, changing to 22 minutes), their Toothill neighbours lose out. Journey times for Toothill passengers to the Link Centre will now more than double (taken as Toothill Village Tavern to Link Centre, currently 5 minutes, changing to 13 minutes). 

The frequency remains at every 10 minutes weekday daytimes, but all buses will now travel directly along Station Road to the Bus Station, abandoning Farnsby Street, Commercial Road, and Regent Circus. 

Is Stagecoach shooting itself in both feet? Once in Wroughton, and for good measure, once again in Freshbrook and Toothill?