Latest news with #JimRobbins
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Residents 'rightly frustrated' over Thames Water hosepipe ban
The leader of a council affected by a hosepipe ban has said "people are tired of the same old excuses" from the water company. Thames Water introduced the hosepipe ban for customers in north Wiltshire, east Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire on Tuesday. Jim Robbins, who leads Swindon Borough Council, said he was "really disappointed" by the ban, adding that the company had prioritised pay-outs to shareholders over "making sure the water supply for customers is there where it needs to be".Thames Water said the restriction was due to a lack of rain and increasing demand and added leakage in the network was at its "lowest ever level". While the company did not respond directly to Mr Robbins' comments, it added that it was using "innovative technology" to fix leaks faster, with 650 leaks fixed each however now face a fine of up to £1,000 if they are found to use of a hosepipe for activities such as watering the garden, washing the car or filling a paddling pool. Thames Water has been fined millions of pounds and heavily criticised for a series of leaks and Robbins, who has been highly critical of the company in the past, said: "I think residents are rightly frustrated that this is an organisation that hasn't made the investment that it needs to over the past 20 years or so since it's been privatised. "People are tired of the same old excuses... after years of failure and them not doing the hard work to make sure they maintain people's supply and keep our rivers clean."It's consistently prioritised taking money out of the business... but there is no evidence they have done the work of making sure that the water supply for customers is there where it needs to be." 'Doing everything we can' The hosepipe ban was announced last week and came into force at midnight on Tuesday - covering some 1.1 million people. The temporary restrictions cover areas with postcodes beginning with OX, GL, SN, RG4, RG8 and RG9.A number of other water companies around the country have announced similar hosepipe bans, though none of those are in the West or South West. Announcing the restrictions, Nevil Muncaster, Thames Water's strategic water resources director said: "I'd like to reassure all our customers that we are doing everything we can to look after our water resources and to protect the environment through this continued warm, dry weather."Our engineers are working 24/7 to maintain supply to all our customers and we have more teams out in the field fixing leaks, which often increase during long dry spells because of shifts in the ground that move our pipes. "We all have a role to play in reducing our water use and customers can help us by saving water around the home and in the garden."
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Swindon town centre revamp finally set to open August
A major town junction is to reopen in August after a three year multi-million pound on the £33m transformation of Fleming Way in Swindon, to turn it into a transport hub, began in cycle lanes have been created, along with bus shelters with wheelchair access wireless charging and digital screens, more bus connections and all bus services moved to Fleming Way, the dilapidated bus station located just off Manchester Road will be demolished, Swindon Borough Council said. When the scheme was first proposed it was claimed it would increase Swindon's economic productivity by more than £28m over the first 20 years and bring wider benefits to the town Borough Council leader Jim Robbins said the new hub will replace the town's "dingy, unwelcome bus station" with facilities that will leave a "lasting first impression" on visitors."This is just the first step in improving the town centre and encouraging the private sector to invest in Swindon," he council said FI Real Estate Management, has invested £8.5m in its nearby Newbridge Square offices, and Zurich have been working closely with landlords and organisations to improve nearby areas. South Swindon MP, Heidi Alexander, said the opening marks a "major step forward" in the creation of a town centre that Swindon "can be proud of"."[It] is a vital piece of the puzzle, connecting the railway station to the town centre, attracting business investment, and improving access for local people," she works are ongoing with scheme's contractor, Colas to make sure the site is ready for opening. Fencing around the site will begin to come down from 15 August with bus companies starting to run services from Fleming Way from 31 August.
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Decision over Highworth golf course housing plans to stand
A controversial decision to progress plans for housing on a former golf course will stand, a scrutiny committee has Swindon Borough Council voted to proceed with a feasibility study for 700 homes on the old golf course in Highworth, Wiltshire, in the decision was reexamined by the council's Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday after Conservative councillors used a rare protocol known as a call-in to ask the council to check if proper procedure was leader Jim Robbins told the meeting the project was in the "pre-planning process" stage and a final decision would be made at a later date. The "extraordinary meeting" was called after some opposition councillors cited issues with how the decision to progress the plans to the next stage was made, including that it was not clear whether the cabinet had read the report on the Robbins said it was "simply untrue" to suggest they had not read the papers and "knew nothing about the issue".Closed in 2019, the golf course land has been owned by the council since the resident groups and the town council want the area to officially become a nature park. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, at some points, the meeting became heated, with chairman councillor Dale Heenan warning some members of the public after intemperate councillor Steve Weisinger asked for the decision to be returned to the cabinet, but only after the Build a Greener Swindon policy and performance committee had discussed and produced a detailed report on the ward member Nick Gardiner said the decision was "legally shaky, financially short-sighted and environmentally backwards", saying the loss of green open space would have a negative impact on residents and asked for it to be returned for councillor Kevin Small, the cabinet member responsible for the plan, said "even with 700 houses", around "58 per cent of the site will remain as green open space".Mr Heenan pressed Mr Small to assure the committee that no final decision on houses would be taken before a further report was made to cabinet, Mr Small confirming the cabinet would make the final committee voted to confirm the cabinet's decision with voting falling along party lines.
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Leader vows to overcome Oasis "stumbling block"
A council leader has vowed to overcome a "significant stumbling block" to rebuilding a derelict leisure centre, after plans for 700 flats to be built on the site were week, Swindon Borough Council's planning committee approved plans to rebuild the Oasis but refused permission for the flats, which could help fund the Jim Robbins said he would work with the developer to "find solutions" to resolve the long-running Dale Heenan, deputy leader of the opposition, said that the plan "was flawed to start with". Mr Robbins said the "deal to reopen the Oasis, is all about compromises and, unfortunately, the planning committee felt unable to support arguably the most important part of the scheme"."This is because the homes around the Oasis are needed to fund the eyewatering costs of refurbishing the listed dome and swimming pool", he acknowledged that the decision was a "significant stumbling block" but one "we will do all we can to overcome". Mr Heenan criticised the plans, but added that the Conservative group remained supportive of attempts to refurbish the site."Labour's agreement to sell the Oasis and surrounding land with an unlimited number of flats allowed was flawed to start with, and it was not a surprise to see everything collapse," he said."There is now silence and a total absence of leadership at a time when the public needs clarity."He reiterated calls for the formation of a cross-party working group to meet to "immediately sort out this mess", adding that provision for parking, affordable housing and schools all needed to be reconsidered.
BBC News
26-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Special Swindon meeting to be held over Higworth golf course plan
An "extraordinary meeting" has been arranged by a council after four councillors decided to use a rare protocol to ask for a re-think on plans for for a former golf land in Highworth, near Swindon, is now used for recreation by locals and has a lot of wildlife, but the Borough Council voted to ask officers to start creating plans for 700 homes on some of the 200 protestors turned up to that meeting as many residents want the council-owned area to officially become a nature planning application has gone in yet, but four Conservative councillors have formally asked for a call-in. They cited issues with how the decision was made, including that it was not clear that cabinet had all read the report on the matter, although Jim Robbins, the Labour leader of the council, said it had been discussed before the Nick Gardiner told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "I'm sure I speak for the majority in Highworth when I say we are not against the growth of the town."But without counting the possibility of 700 houses on beautiful green open space there are a number of development and more in discussion; that could lead to another 800-900 houses coming here, that's about a 25 per cent increase in the size of the town," he added. Mr Robbins has said that the council "understands the passion that some residents of Highworth feel for the Old Golf Course" and the resistance to the added: "We are quite happy for local councillors to use their right to call in the decision, but we are very surprised by the reasons that they have chosen."The decision will be discussed at an extraordinary meeting of Swindon Borough Council's Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Committee at 18:00 BST on 16 July.
