Swindon Borough Council Council have today issued a press release confirming that they are no longer pursuing a transfer of management to the Lydiard Heritage Trust. This raises the ugly prospect of Lydiard once again being transferred to the private sector. The Council has said the reason why they have pulled out of talks with the trust is because of a disagreement of the required works needed for Lydiard House. A total of £850,000 had been set aside by the…
A public meeting has now been organised on the 12th January at 7pm at the Lydiard Park Academy. Please come along and give your views on the Council’s plans to the councillors proposing to hand over Lydiard to the private sector. Conservative-run Swindon Borough Council has proposed to transfer the running of Lydiard House and Park to a privately run company or organisation. Since October, the Friends of Lydiard Park has conducted a campaign to save the House and Park and…
Lydiard Park and House is the jewel in Swindon’s crown, a marvellous attraction that is rich in heritage and enjoyed by residents of, and visitors to our town with equal pleasure, which is able to be accessed so readily and easily due to being owned and controlled by the people of Swindon. We should be proud to possess such a unique piece of history. Lydiard Park and House is the jewel in Swindon’s crown, a marvellous attraction that is rich…
The Swindon Labour Group has come out in support of a petition created by the Friends of Lydiard calling for the Council to not hand over Lydiard Park to the commercial sector. The petition can be accessed here. The Swindon Labour Group has come out in support of a petition created by the Friends of Lydiard calling for the Council to not hand over Lydiard Park to the commercial sector. The petition can be accessed here. The Labour Group’s Leader and…
You can find a poster for Swindon Borough Council's forthcoming "Engagement Events" at Lydiard Park at the bottom of this article. Swindon Borough Council has already invited proposals for the transfer of Lydiard Park to a private company. Below you can find a poster for Swindon Borough Council's forthcoming "Engagement Events" at Lydiard Park. It's based on The Council's own poster but I have amended the wording. Swindon Borough Council has already invited proposals for the transfer of Lydiard Park to a private company….
In the last week the Conservative administration on Swindon Borough Council have said they plan to lease Lydiard Park to a private company in order for that company to run and manage the park. Conservative Councillor Gary Perkins has said that he wishes to lease the park in a similar way that they leased the council’s leisure facilities, where the Council lost all strategic control over the leisure facilities in order to eliminate the money it spent on those facilities….
We have spoken to hundreds of people about Lydiard over the past few weeks and they are aware, like us, that what is offered or promised prior to an election doesn’t necessarily last once the vote is over. Dear Sir, Further to your article about Lydiard Park and the discussion at the Council Meeting last Thursday, I remain very concerned about this situation. Cllr Rennard was given a number of opportunities to confirm care and control of Lydiard House and Park…
After the strong support from residents for our petition to protect Lydiard Park the Conservatives have finally admitted their plans to transfer our wonderful Swindon amenity out of council control. After the strong support from residents for our petition to protect Lydiard Park the Conservatives have finally admitted their plans to transfer our wonderful Swindon amenity out of council control. In a Conservative motion to be debated tonight they are seeking authority to transfer out of democratically accountable local control another part of Swindon's heritage, this…
"Not being sold" is not the same as remaining under Council ownership and control and we are clear that what the two Group Leaders are promising is not the same thing, either over Lydiard or over the leisure centres, where the Conservatives are proposing to give them away on 99 year leases. A Conservative motion going before Swindon Borough Council's full council meeting this evening accuses Labour of scaremongering but we do not believe that we have been doing…
The Labour Party is determined to protect Lydiard Park and our town’s other country parks. We are seeking community, not commercial, solutions to safeguard their future. The Labour Party is determined to protect Lydiard Park and our town’s other country parks. We are seeking community, not commercial, solutions to safeguard their future. What your West Swindon Labour Team are saying: Steph Exell (Labour candidate for Shaw) says: “The news of the existence of Conservative council documents and the tendering of leisure…
Labour believes that publicly owned assets, such as parks, should be kept in the ownership of the people of Swindon. The off-loading of Lydiard House and Country Park is nothing more than "daylight robbery" of something that Swindon people already own. Labour believes that publicly owned assets, such as parks, should be kept in the ownership of the people of Swindon. The off-loading of Lydiard House and Country Park is nothing more than "daylight robbery" of something that Swindon people…
Steph Exell and the West Swindon Labour team have been out collecting signatures from people who support the petition to keep Lydiard Park in the care and management of Swindon Borough Council. Pictured: Councillor Jim Robbins, Jamal Miah, Steph Exell and Councillor Cindy Matthews Steph Exell and the West Swindon Labour team have been out collecting signatures from people who support the petition to keep Lydiard Park in the care and management of Swindon Borough Council. If you share our view, and…