WITH next year’s council budget set to be approved tonight, the Labour group says it has an amendment which can halt the most severe of the cuts.

Swindon Borough Council needs to make a saving of £20m and is proposing a series of changes which will see the closure of five remaining children centres, as well as a four per cent rise in council tax.

Moves have also been made to prepare for further cuts, with a consultation on creating new parish councils under way and bids for organisations to take over the running of Lydiard Park already invited.

But at tonight’s full council meeting, the Labour group will submit a series of amendments to the budget which they claim can halt the changes and allow people to have their say.

These include stopping the Lydiard lease process, keeping children’s centres open and funding a referendum on the parishing plans.

Labour's plan would be paid for through a number of back-office changes, such as keeping the profitable Children’s Nursery in Euclid Street open, as well as using the Government’s transitional fund and dipping into reserves.

Council leader David Renard has described the plan as ‘short-term thinking’ but Labour leader Coun Jim Grant (Lab, Rodbourne Cheney) says it would allow enough time for residents to have their say on any possible cuts.

He said: “Our proposals mean the services which Swindon residents have said are important can stay open for several years.

“In that time it would allow us to talk to people to find a way forward to run these services in the face of what the Government has done to council finances.

“What we have seen from this Conservative administration is a decision is made, like with the Children Centres, and then they talk to people about how to implement it.

“Fundamentally, we want to see a change in how local government is run because at the moment all we are seeing is services disappearing and taxes rising with the residents of Swindon not being given their say.

“We need to get the people of Swindon and the council to work together.”

But Coun David Renard (Con, Haydon Wick) says there is sufficient consultation and the Labour proposal simply delays the inevitable.

He said: “We all know that if a decision needs making then it is never a good idea to put it off.

“This is very predictable from Labour.

“Keeping services going on a short-term basis is pointless when such huge savings need to be made.

“We are talking to residents and have extended the Lydiard lease but are making decisions now to ensure we have sustainable services going forward.”

What's in the £20m firing line?

SWINDON Borough Council meets tonight to decide on the budget for the year ahead.

With demand for adult and children’s social care rising and Government grants falling, about £20m in savings need to be found.

There has been a warning of ‘difficult decisions’ but tonight’s meeting is likely to see some of the toughest decisions finalised.

Council tax bills are set to rise by more than £56 for Band D properties and Swindon’s remaining five children centres will be closed.

Many departments are set to be hit by the cuts, so there will be cutbacks across the town.

With millions more savings needed in the coming years, tonight’s budget meeting will mark the first step towards the face of local government changing forever.

Over the next four years, a total of £80mn in savings needs to be found, which is likely to mean further cuts and more tax rises for residents.

Council leader David Renard (Con, Haydon Wick) said: “The key message is there is more and more demand on social and adult services. 

“I think we have done well to keep council tax frozen for five years but there is inflation and costs rise so we have no choice but to recommend a rise this time.”

Calls for peaceful protests

SWINDON People’s Assembly is calling for people and campaign groups to join them for a peaceful protest this evening in opposition to proposed cuts.

There have already been a number of demonstrations against the cuts in Swindon and the assembly is hoping to get their message across to councillors ahead of the meeting.

Kate Linnegar, of Swindon People’s Assembly, said: “There is no denying that these cuts are detrimental to the people of Swindon’s way of life.

"Government-sponsored evidence shows the adverse effects of closing children’s centres, but ours are still to be closed. 

“Libraries are a place not only to find books, but to meet other people if you are lonely, to get warm if you can’t afford to heat your home, to interact with your children at story time or to access a computer, to name a few but ours are at risk. 

“If David Renard and presumably the rest of our elected councillors can see the effects then why aren’t they writing to David Cameron to express their concerns? They were voted in to represent us and our best interests. 

“Perhaps the councils across the country should stand together against these cuts. 

“I also wonder how much of the £70m SBC has saved so far and what else they are planning to cut. 

“I urge people to come to the demonstration on Thursday to show the strength of feeling. As always, it will be peaceful and everyone is welcome.”

They will be meeting from 6.15pm at the Civic Offices to demonstrate before the meeting at 7pm.