EAST Swindon residents will have more opportunity to raise issues that affect them after councillors agreed to amend the format for locality meetings.

The East Locality is made up of three borough council wards and includes neighbourhoods in Lower Coleview, Covingham, Nythe, Dorcan, Liden, Walcot, Park North, Park South and Eldene.

In the past, every few months residents from these areas could head along to a meeting to discuss issues affecting these areas with ward councillors and council officers.

But following concerns raised from the community that these were ungainly and inefficient, the format has been amended.

Naz Ali, East Locality Lead, said: “Members of the East Locality agreed in late December that in future, they will hold quarterly meetings in the Civic Offices to discuss and take decisions on applications for community grants and Streetsmart Hours.

“Meanwhile ward councillors will themselves organise meetings in local areas for residents to come along and discuss local issues.

“It means there won’t be a big East Locality meeting any more.

“We were finding that holding those big meetings meant that some things were raised that just weren’t relevant to residents in other areas, and we hope this will provide more opportunity to discuss and deal with local issues better.”

Coun Dale Heenan (Con, Covingham and Dorcan) said: “We have been finding that when a Locality meeting is held in say Park South, very few if any people attend from the other areas like Eldene or Covingham and Nythe. Since each meeting rotates between the three wards it simply isn’t working.

“Councillors Kevin Parry, Richard Hurley and I warned about this happening from the start.

“As a result the six Labour councillors and three Conservative councillors for the three areas who make up the East Locality have come together to agree a different way of working.

“This involves a single meeting at the Civic Offices to discuss the normal Locality administration that is required, and that the three councillors for each area will decide for themselves how they wish to move forward. We intend to push forward with our own ideas like holding job fairs for the school leavers and the unemployed, and public meetings focused on specific issues.”

Coun Mark Dempsey (Lab, Walcot & Park North) said he welcomed the opportunity for more grassroots focussed work.

He said: “I think it’s very important that councillors are in touch with the local community and we need to find the best way to make sure people in the community have every opportunity to express their views and voice any concerns about local issues.

“We will now be doing this on a ward-based basis and I welcome this proposal.”

Coun Kevin Parry (Con, Covingham & Dorcan), said: “In the past there have been complaints from residents about having to travel relatively far from their homes to sit through meetings which have little relevance to them.

“Hopefully the new format will mean more people can attend and feel they have a better chance to get involved and discuss issues that are relevant to them.”