HUNDREDS of residents packed a public meeting as the future of Lydiard Park was discussed.

Since Swindon Borough Council announced plans to lease out the historic attraction to cut a £450,000 subsidy there has been a growing public backlash against the idea of a private company taking over.

More than 10,000 people have signed petitions against the idea and on Tuesday, hundreds of residents packed in Lydiard Park Academy for a public meeting on the issue.

The Friends Of Lydiard group, which organised the meeting, has said it wants to put forward a bid but would need three months to get everything in place.

Next week a motion will be put forward from the Conservative Party calling for the halt to the process that will go before full council.

There will also be a second motion from the Labour Group calling on the council to reconsider its plans.

But the group leader is looking at ways of developing a joint motion to include the three month break.

Coun Garry Perkins (Con, Haydon Wick), the cabinet member responsible for Lydiard, agreed he would recommend the idea and following discussion with the rest of the cabinet it was announced a three-month break will be put forward.

If approved, it means a decision on the Lydiard’s future might now not be made until May.

The motion will also acknowledge the strength of feeling in the petitions.

In recent years there have been a number of council cuts, with £80m in savings needed by 2020.

However, few have seen such levels of opposition with almost all of the 600 plus being against a lease to a private company.

Mike Bowden, the chairman of the Friends group, has been spearheading the campaign and had to fight back tears at the start of the meeting.

“I’m just overwhelmed at the support we received,” he said afterwards.

“We were expecting about 100 and said if 200 people turned up then it will have been a success but to see so many was fantastic.

“I was having to marshal traffic outside beforehand.

“I thought it was a really constructive meeting. We know things cannot carry on and the money has to be found but what we’ve been saying is give us time and we can come up with something which pleases everyone.

“We’ll be happy as the park stays in the people of Swindon’s hands, the council will be happy as they don’t have to pay the subsidy and the people of Swindon will still have use of this fantastic heritage site.

“Putting together something in three months will be a push but we will work around the clock to make this happen.”

Lord Joffe, Nelson Mandela’s trial lawyer who lives in Wanborough, was also present at the meeting and urged all the relevant parties to get together to find a solution.

Coun Perkins revealed that nine organisations, including the Friends and some current Lydiard staff, have expressed an interest in running all or part of the house and park.

Meetings with these organisations will take place on Friday and Monday to get a general idea of what they could offer.

A report will then go before council chiefs in February when a way forward will be decided, which will include the three-month preparation time.

Coun Perkins said: “The people of Swindon are incredibly proud of Lydiard so I am not surprised at the turn out.

“But there is not the money available for us to do nothing.

“The residents of Swindon will still have access, we will make sure of that, and we are not going to see a multi-storey hotel built.

“Whatever does come though will have to be sustainable.

“There are examples of well-intentioned groups taking over something and then struggling a few months later and having to be bailed out.

“In the past, the approach to Lydiard has been bitty and it hasn’t reached its full potential so this move is not just allowing things to stay as they are but also creating investment for Lydiard.”

An agreement was made at the meeting between Labour and the Conservatives to put a motion through but a joint wording could not be agreed in time for the agenda to be announced.

Labour leader Jim Grant said: “I was delighted at Tuesday’s public meeting that Coun Perkins agreed to my suggestion that we move a cross-party motion on Lydiard Park.

“It’s crucial that the council agrees to create some breathing space before the Lydiard Park decision is taken.

“Since the public meeting I’ve been in discussions with the Conservative Group and the Friends of Lydiard Charity and now in the process of thrashing out some agreed wording that can be supported by all parties.”

Residents came away from the meeting with mixed views.

Moya Pinson, of Westlea, said: “It was an informative discussion and the meeting went well.

“My main hope though is they keep Lydiard in the public because it is much needed and offers something for everyone.”

But Ben Williams, of Old Town, said: “I didn’t think enough telling questions were asked. We don’t know how they are going to grade each bid to decide what is best.”

The council meeting will take place on January 21.

 

  • IF there was ever any doubt Lydiard was important to the people of Swindon, then Tuesday’s meeting put that to rest.
    I have been to dozens of public meetings while working for the Adver and none have come close to being as busy as this one.
    With the roads jammed beforehand, it was more like a sporting event with hundreds of people coming to support team Lydiard.
    And it would appear this has been a victory – or at least a goal.
    While the council looks like it will agree a three month break, there is still a lot of work to do.
    Good will and public support does not change the fact Lydiard is losing thousands of pounds each year and anyone who takes over its running will have to introduce changes to reverse this trend.
    But for now, the Friends of Lydiard deserve credit for mobilising such high numbers in an era when many decisions are passed without a great interest from the public
    Mike Benke, local government reporter