THE cabinet member responsible for Swindon’s regeneration has come under pressure from an investor who says she has not seen the change she was promised.

Garry Perkins went before the council’s scrutiny committee this week to face questions on his portfolio.

The tone for the meeting was set right from the outset – not by elected members, but by a member of the public.

Deborah Lewis told the committee how she and her husband had invested in a property at the junction of Fleet Street and Bridge Street two years ago after being promised that investment and regeneration was on the way.

“Before we bought the property we were told by Forward Swindon that they were going to be doing a regeneration,” said Mrs Lewis.

“They said it would be up and coming and that money was going to be spent.

“We’ve had the property for two years and, as yet, we haven’t seen anything. In fact if anything I would say that area is now worse.

“I feel quite strongly about this because as a very small investor, we were told ‘invest in Swindon’. We’ve spent a lot of money.

“But look around us – Wilkos is going, the Liquor Lounge seems to be dead at the moment. I feel let down.”

Coun Perkins told Mrs Lewis that the area was a key part of the ‘Kimmerfields transport strategy’ and was “very much on the agenda”.

Vera Tomlinson (Con - St Andrews) said she was worried about the message the council was putting forward.

“It concerns me that people, like this lady, have been encouraged to invest in a business in the town centre and all they can see at the moment is that their investment has been unwise,” she said.

“Is that the message you are sending out to other potential retail investors?”

Fellow Conservative Dale Heenan called for more detail around how the various projects would specifically help to improve the struggling end of the town. He pointed out that with the exception of a trial around refurbishing vacant buildings, the area did not feature in the town centre delivery plan.

But Mrs Lewis said the problems did not stop at vacant units and a lack of investment. She told the committee that anti-social behaviour had become so bad it was costing them money and driving away business.

“I moved a tenant into the property. He was there two days and said he couldn’t stay there any longer. It’s so bad out there - they’re fighting, drinking, arguing and shouting.

"We’re losing financially because we can’t retain the tenants. I’ve witnessed it myself numerous times.

"It’s just a horrible atmosphere to be around. It’s absolutely awful.”

Coun Perkins said the situation would be improved by the introduction of a new Public Space Protection Order.

“There will be movement of those individuals because we’ve now given the authority to council officials to take action,” he said.

“We’re also going to take the benches away and move around street furniture so they won’t have places to sit. In the longer term the plans will be coming forward for the new bus interchange which will take in that area too.”