It seems that the government’s representative in South Swindon, Ms Snelgrove, is so eager to rubbish the priorities of Swindon Borough Council that she hasn’t even bothered to read what their priorities are. According to Ms Snelgrove the council isn’t concerned about crime and anti-social behaviour.
I am appalled that the Council do not think anti-social behaviour and local crime are priorities in Swindon.
She even provides a link to the council’s priorities.
The Council sets its priorities under the Local Area Agreement (www.swindon.gov.uk/yourcouncil-laa) but crime and anti-social behaviour are not even mentioned.
Follow that link. You’ll find, as the sixth of six priorities in the current Local Area Agreement the following.
A place where the resident population can have real influence to develop a sense of community and belonging, and where reducing crimes makes them feel safe.
If Ms Snelgrove thinks that’s not even mentioning crime, she really should go back to school and take some English language lessons.
Update 23:09. I see that Ms Snelgrove has now issued an updated version claiming criteria that were used to dish out this money, though this wasn’t mentioned in the government press release.
Areas that received funding are those that either chose to include ASB as one of their Local Area Agreement priorities or were one of the areas chosen by the Home Office as having high levels of ASB.
So she’s complaining that the council didn’t make a priority out of something her own government doesn’t think is a big issue in Swindon anyway. Logic, reasoning and representing the best interests of her constituents never were Ms Snelgrove’s strong points. Clearly, they still aren’t.
