The Swindon Blog. For Small-Town Scandal. Keeping Swindon mis-informed, if it's Swindon Centred, it's Swindon Centric. - An XXtraordinary Blogger Award winner.
Despite it being over six years since Rod Bluh was Swindon Conservative leader, his comments have rankled the current members into a long and rambling statement.
From Brexit to not living in the ward, to the track record of the Tory candidate and finally a swipe at Corbyn, it seems like the person writing the statement has just cobbled together any old guff and sent it out.
The bluster of the Tory statement shows just how much sway they believe Rod Bluh's comments hold with voters.
But of course, they won't admit it.
Maybe tomorrow night's results will reveal the Tory vote slowly sinking into the marshy ground of Wichelstowe, clucking away about anything it doesn't like.
A statistical analysis of Swindon Borough Council Leader Rod Bluh's weekly column from the Swindon Advertiser in which he defends the construction of the new Croft Primary School.
Frequency of words and phrases within the column -
The stateside version of this, with some variances, covered on MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show
If your streetlights have been broken for an age and the graffiti on your walls has now got moss growing on it, it could because of Swindon Councillors subscribing to the 'Shock Doctrine'.
The theory by-which governments push through major neo-conservative policies (privatisation, liberalisation of constraints on industry, simplifying government processes, etc) when a citizenry is in 'shock' from a disaster has and is happening in Swindon.
The disaster? The financial crisis, the credit crunch, the following recession, stalled recovery and now double-dip recession.
We're constantly being told, and have been, by the ruling councillors at Swindon Borough Council that there is not any money for basic services in the way they have been provided before.
How has this policy been followed? There's so many to mention -
- The privatisation of Swindon Commercial Services (the works department of the Council, now run to make a profit and wholly owned by Swindon Borough Council as an investment interest).
- The spinning-off of adult social care in Swindon to another organisation.
- The cutting back of hundreds of front-line staff in Swindon Borough Council, from libraries to park rangers.
- The administration of benefits to Swindon residents now provided by Capita, not Swindon Borough Council.
- The attempted privatisation of Swindon's entire assets of it's Council Housing stock. This was prevented after a vote by council house tenants.
- To a derived point, the Wi-Failed scheme. One of the numerous reasons given for the scheme was that the council now had to look at ways of producing revenue (making money).
- The latest, the transfer of green spaces to house-building companies.
- The transfer of the Oasis leisure centre and a chunk of land at North Star to a private investment company to refurbish the centre and build a snow dome and other leisure facilities, to be operated by them and not Swindon Borough Council.
Swindon Centric Says ; The constant banging of this drum of 'if we don't reduce our deficit it'll come and attack you in a lonely alleyway' is spin, as Swindon Borough Council seem happy-enough to run up record debts building infrastructure at Wichelstowe.
Why are Swindon Borough Councillors happy to spend money on easy things like roads and paths to tempt house builders, but won't work hard to come up with a detailed, costed, long-term, council-funded plan to rebuild assets?
Have our councillors become lazy and unknowledgeable? For Swindon, it should be renamed The Shock and Lazy Doctrine.
The Conservative Group have a majority of one in the recent local council elections, which means in the event of a tie, the Mayor (which is largely a ceremonial position, despite the selected mayor being an elected councillor) will, like-never-before, be called upon to cast the deciding vote.
The new Mayor, Councillor Mick Bray (Conservative, of the Lydiard and Freshbrook ward) may find it increasingly difficult to justify his position as he votes on issues in the council chamber one moment, then remains non-political whilst grinning for the cameras and having cake at his official mayor duties the next.
Swindon Centric Says ; We live in interesting times.
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.
The spinning of the loss of Section 106 monies from North Swindon is now being called a gain (page 6 of the latest addition of the Link Magazine) by Swindon Borough Council Leader, Rod Bluh.
But, we're all use to it, as followers of Swindon's shameful dalliance in council-funded wi-fi failure, Digital City Limited. Now the political spin used to debatable effect on that mess is being employed to save face on developers money mysteries for North Swindon residents.
The money was originally allocated, mostly for road improvements (notably for building the missing link between Thamesdown Drive and Great Western Way), which never took place. The money was at risk of going back to the developers, but the council renegotiated for a far smaller amount for differing works, some of which has been spent outside of the North Swindon area.
But the loss of the original amount is still being called a gain, as we could have lost all of it, this is the belief of Mr. Bluh. In the same way that the flushing away of £400,000 to Digital City (who achieved not a single of their own business targets) has been spun as to be 'repaid' by UK Broadband, who have entered an entirely separate I.T. contract that is not connected with the Wi-Failed project.
Swindon Centric Says ; But in Swindon's, increasingly appearing to be, calm-down-dear-trust-me-I'm-in-charge/patronising form of governing, it's only to be expected.
If a promise or policy is broken in Swindon, you'll probably hear a slight variation on this fluffiest-of-fluffy phrases as used by Mr. Bluh at the end of this month's Link Magazine article on it, "I think we followed the spirit of the agreement."
Proposals to dot Swindon with a set of high-tech waste-to-energy plants has raised far more questions than answers.
The most concerned are the residents of Oakhurst, who have been informed that the Tadpole Farm housing plan contains a proposal to build such a facility. So you'd expect a flurry of public exhibitions, an open dialogue with community groups and residents?
But this is Swindon and we have to do everything differently, from diesel hydraulic engines, to wireless internet, to local government accountability and engagement.
The technology is rather involved to go into, but is a tremendous step-up from a crude rubbish incinerator, through a process called pyrolysis.
Some have questions about the tech involved, but most concerning is the attitude of 'don't worry, we know best' being released into the atmosphere from Swindon Borough Council.
Swindon Centric Says ; Rod Bluh, do not make this into Wi-Fi Mark II, start publicising this plan to residents now, all over town, start a conversation, if you want to take Swindon into the future, you'd better take the residents there too.
Another week, another announcement of 'jam soon' from Swindon's pathetic wi-fi dalliance.
Yeah, usual thing 'money will come within days', or 'maybe soon', big shiny investor we won't name, jam tomorrow, JAM TOMORROW!
Swindon Centric Says ; Huge hat-tip to the Swindon Advertiser for showing it's respect for this 'news' by burying it on page 25 of today's edition, exactly where it deserves to be!
Swindon Borough Council's dalliance with Digital City and it's promises the morning after have, for a 3rd time, made the 'Rotten Boroughs' column of Private Eye magazine.
This is on top of last week's news that the wi-fi had won an award. Strangely, when the Adver's Adam Kula (a massive tip of the hat to him, as he's hit the ground running in terms of reporting the town's politics) tried to contact the government magazine that gave the award, the person responsible was said to be climbing a mountain in Nepal.
Could that be the same mountain that everyone's favourite former CEO of Digital City is also climbing?
Swindon Centric Says ; Three strikes and you're out, wind up Digital City now and lets crack on with the daylight-filled investigation of how, what, why and when.
Satirical magazine Private Eye has covered the Wi-Failed debacle again in it's Rotten Boroughs column in the latest issue.
Regular readers will know that Private Eye also picked up on the scheme in a previous occasion last year.
Swindon Centric Says ; Meanwhile, the link to the Technology Strategy Board's press release about the awarding of a grant to Digital City still returns an error message, appears they're keeping their position, and their money, to themselves?
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.
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.
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?
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.
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?
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.
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.
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!
After many weeks of promises of "an announcement soon", the straw that broke the camel's back appears to be a combination of Geoff Reid's words on Talk Swindon and (suspected) decision on the running of a story with-or-without comment by the Swindon Advertiser. They did comment.
Swindon Centric Says ; There's no money left, new investors are sought for what Councillor Perkins (who's coming across more and more like the Walker character from Dad's Army) still insists on calling "innovative" (it's not, it's wireless internet, it's been around since 1999).
Two questions now need to be asked :
What's our money been spent on?
and
Is the fundamental part of the council's checks and balances, the scrutiny process (that decided this investment was sound) unfit for purpose?
plus
How rotten are Swindon Borough Council's processes if this has been allowed to happen?
and one more for luck
Will the Swindon Borough Council councillors who openly criticised Chris Watts, Des Morgan and Councillor Steve Wakefield now apologise as this admission now vindicates their concerns?
The business idea itself was just bad, plain and simple. It was a bad investment idea.
A tremendous new year to all, now on with the important stuff...
The majority of Skanska contractors, who installed the new paving in Regent Street (and initially in Canal Walk) have done the job, but they may be regularly returning (not just for future contracts for other public realm work), but for maintenance on the Leader's New Paving.
The choice of paving slabs was altered by the council leader (according to whispers and despite advice from, you know, engineers), but they're slightly soft, which makes them absorb muck, tire tracks and other debris at an alarming rate. Happily, a budget for regular jet-washing of the paving has been set.
However, if you stroll along Regent Street, up from the fountain, you'll see several holes (no bigger than the size of a two-pence piece) appearing in the middle of slabs which are in the centre of the street.
Is this caused by the softness of the material chosen, the jet-washing, or a combination of both?
Any work on this will have to wait for Councillor Bluh (THE man for micro-managing) to return fully to work, having been scarcely seen since the start of the year.
Swindon Centric Says ; According to Swindon Borough Council employee rules, I'm sure after two days he's provided a sick-note to those in HR, giving his reasons for his absence.
Is there a tick-box for 'leadership challenge' on a doctor's note these days?
