D is for Heenan's Bad Spell at Swinon

Councillor Dale Heenan (he of the council tax debacle) has asked residents (with only a few days to the deadline, so sounds more like a tick-box engagement exercise) what they 'want to see changed or improved'.

Swindoncentric suggests Mr Heenan maybe goes for English lessons, judging by the very sloppy letter of objection he's tweeted regarding a planning application he feels strong about.

In the letter, he suggests that residents write their own letter, as it carries more weight.

True, especially since it appears he can't even spell 'Swindon' in the opening line of his.

Never mind, I'm sure putting him in charge of two Swindon Libraries will go swimmingly. Is the order for new signs in yet? Better check the spelling first.

It's S-w-i-n-d-o-n

Will Someone Please Think of The Children (and Councillors)?

Councillor Kevin Parry seems surprised at finding needles used by drug users in a park in his patch.

It might surprise him further then to know that needles, dog mess, and litter is found in parks, fields and open spaces all over the Borough every day of the week.

What's more worrying, but not surprising, is that with the complete dismantling of Swindon Borough Council, more and more of these unsavoury things will be found by more and more residents and less and less by SBC staff in the formerly called Streetsmart department (street cleaning).

But that's okay, most of our councillors like to put in their election leaflets about how they spend their weekends picking up litter in their wards (like Councillor Pajak).

There seems to be little else for SBC councillors to do. Democratically elected, allowance-paid litter-pickers, now that's vibrant and efficient folks!

You wait ages for a political bluster and two come along at once

The withdrawal of the no.65 Stagecoach in Swindon service has ruffled some feathers amongst councillors in Swindon Borough Council and South Marston.

South Marston Parish Council complain that they didn't know about the changes until a resident told them. It's clear then that none of the parish councillors use the bus. To then complain they weren't informed discounts that Stagecoach advertised the changes before, in many ways - online, at bus stops, leaflets, new timetables and in the Adver.

Not to miss out making a little hay, Swindon Borough Councillor Heenan has suggested alternatives will be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting.

One thinks, are they only reactive alternatives due to the Adver story? Surely a proactive council would have planned possible alternatives back in March (and announced they were working on them) when Oxfordshire County Council withdrew the main chunk of funding for the 65? Odd that he didn't comment on the improvement to Thamesdown Transport's service through his own constituency, with the renumbered service 1/1A now recreating a cross-town route and increasing to every 10 minutes.

But that decision didn't involve politicians of course, or subsidy.

Councillors Put In For Overtime To Lower Stratton's Bills

It sounds like a bit of PR and it may well be.

People in Stratton, Covingham and Nythe pay an additional parish council tax on top of their Council Tax to Swindon Borough Council. But do not fear, local councillors are to look into exactly what the extra money is for. There are two worrying aspects to this.

Firstly, why is this investigation even needed? Surely a glance at the accounts book of the parish council will tell you how much is being spent where. Not really rocket science.

Secondly, there's a nagging feeling that after a couple of months of investigation, involving meetings, consultations, maybe even a 'task force', the parish council will say that there are no savings to be made. Because any excess has been spent, on the investigation to find surpluses.

Swindon Centric Says ; So what exactly are residents getting for their £20 to £70 a year in the parish? Gold plated wheelie bins? Plugholes that get water to spin the opposite way? If you're a local to the parish, please leave a comment or email us at swindoncentric@mac.com and let us know what the extra is that you get!

South Pole Record Team Abandons Attempt After Not Having A Unique Enough Group Name

There's disappointment in the Covingham area of Swindon this Boxing Day after a group attempting to walk unaided to the South Pole had to turn back after finding their group didn't have the unique name they thought it did.

The team's fourteen members from the call centre department of United Industrial Blowtorches, based at Edison Road flew back into RAF Lyneham this morning, the team had only got as far as London Heathrow when the news came thorough that another group from United Industrial Blowtorches from the Huntingdon office has just reached the South Pole unaided.

'' We've been planning this for several months and to be struck with this news just as we begin is, well for workers in this industry, it's a real blow, '' that comment from Luc Craven, 26, the team coordinator who lives in Latton.

Next Boxing Day the team plan to try again, having twelve members dressed as the respective characters from the song ' The 12 Days Of Christmas' and just to make sure no-one steals their unique record, they'll walk backwards, eating Wagon Wheels and singing 'Amarillo' in Mandarin'.