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…
I am disappointed to have to report that due to the Tory Council’s mismanagement, the Lydiard Conference Centre will now be closing. Some weddings and other events at the conference centre will have to be cancelled, leaving a large loss of income for the Park & House and damaging the reputation of Lydiard to host events. Labour successfully stopped Lydiard from being transferred to the private sector following the election of Labour Councillor Matthew Courtliff. Despite agreeing to the transfer…
After Tory-run Swindon Council introduced car parking charges at Lydiard Park, they have done nothing to tackle those Lydiard Park users who are avoiding the parking charges by parking in neighbouring streets near to the park. During peak times at Lydiard, this has led to some streets in Grange Park crammed full of cars because people want to avoid the parking charges. Your local Labour Team is calling on Tory-run Swindon Borough Council to tackle this problem on behalf of…
The Labour Group has welcomed the decision of Swindon Council not to transfer the running of Lydiard to a private sector company, with the Cabinet announcing the Lydiard Park Heritage Trust as its preferred bidder to run Lydiard Park and House. The registered trust scored highest out of five bids received by the Council and, if the Council’s Cabinet endorse the trust as the preferred bidder at next week’s Cabinet meeting (16th March), further due diligence will take place before…
As a way of raising more income to pay for the maintenance and operation of Lydiard and Coate Water, Swindon Council has instigated a consultation on introducing parking charges at both of these country parks. Please take park in the consultation through accessing the below links: http://www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20019/consultations_engagement_and_surveys/634/coate_water_parking_consultation http://www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20019/consultations_engagement_and_surveys/639/the_future_of_lydiard_house_and_park The Labour Group Shadow Lead for Country Parks, Councillor Jim Robbins, said: “It is regrettable that parking charges need to be introduced at Lydiard and Coate. But we think it…
Your Councillors have been active in seeking to ensure that Lydiard Park remains under public control and is not passed to the private sector. Steve Allsopp said: ”We welcome the decision to postpone action to hive off Lydiard Park until after the May Elections in order to allow a proper opportunity for the Friends of Lydiard to put forward alternative proposals. The Park must remain as public asset.” We fear that if Lydiard is handed over to the commercial sector…
The Labour Party will be moving a resolution at the Full Council Meeting on Thursday 21st January calling for a 3 month halt to the Lydiard outsourcing process and during that period discuss with the Friends of Lydiard and Swindon Heritage on whether Lydiard should be transferred to a staff-led independent charitable trust or continue to be maintained by the council. This resolution follows news that it has been confirmed that a bid to turn a section of Lydiard Park…
Over 600 people attended the recent Lydiard Park public meeting regarding its future, which is a phenomenal turnout that shows the strength of feeling there is on this issue. Thank you to everybody who came and for signing the petition that made it possible. I had the privilege of speaking as your candidate for councillor where I set out the case for keeping Lydiard under public control. If a private company is capable of generating a profit, then so is…
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…
Questions have been raised over the amount Swindon Borough Council subsidises Lydiard Park and House, which has been used by the Conservative Cabinet to justify transferring Lydiard. Concerns have been raised that staff linked to Lydiard Park and House's budget are actually being used at the STEAM Museum, thus enhancing the size of the suggests subsidy for Lydiard. Questions have been raised over the amount Swindon Borough Council subsidises Lydiard Park and House, which has been used by the Conservative Cabinet to justify transferring Lydiard. Concerns have been…