📆 My week as a Councillor & Chairman at Haydon Wick Parish Council.
Swindon Borough Council £4.5 million overspend causes parish worries
This week was busy with meetings, planning, and community work.
Budget work
Reviewed the financial pressures on the parish and updated residents on the council tax and parish precept. I explained how the funds are allocated and what they will be used for in the coming year.
Swindon Borough Council impact
Kept an eye on how the budget cuts from Swindon Borough Council could affect services in our parish and the need for us to step in. Their £4.5million overspend has meant they did not balance their budget and are now having to borrow more money to cover their shortfall.
Community engagement
Had discussions with residents about green spaces, tree planting, and local litter picking. We brainstormed ideas to improve these areas.
Parish Memory Cafe
Visited the Memory Café to chat with residents. I learned more about how it helps those living with memory loss and brings the community together.
Grounds Maintenance Facility
Met with the team to check on the progress of the new grounds maintenance facility. It’s on track for handover to the parish at the end of April.
Roundabout improvements
Walked around the Elstree Way/Ealing Way roundabout with the team to finalize plans for replacing overgrown bushes. We’ll replace them with grass and a smaller hedge to make maintenance easierHousing issueHad a productive talk with residents and the housing association about some local concerns. We discussed possible solutions to these issues.
Dog mess clean-upg
Wrote a report highlighting the £2000 spent on cleaning up dog mess at Rose Walk over the past year. This is a significant cost, and we need to understand why residents are not picking up after their dogs in this area.
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A busy and productive week, with plenty of work ahead!
As always if any fellow residents have any concerns or comments please do let me know.