Swindon Tory Councillors DECLINE meeting to discuss foul Rodbourne smell
The Conservatives say findings from an investigation into the stench weren't ready in time
THE council’s Conservatives have turned down an invite from Labour to a meeting to discuss the ‘pong’ plaguing people living in Rodbourne.
Labour group leader and Rodbourne Cheney councillor Jim Grant invited members of the cabinet and council officers to the gathering on Monday.
But cabinet member for service delivery Kevin Parry declined the invitation.
He said: “As you will know we have arranged for an independent company to carry out tests to find out where this smell is coming from. This report will be very helpful but will not be ready in time for the meeting.
“I am very happy to work with you and your fellow ward councillors to resolve this problem. I do think that the meeting is premature as we will not be able to give residents the information they would like.”
Coun Grant said: “It is very disappointing that so many of those people who have the power to resolve this issue cannot be bothered to turn up to the meeting to hear what local residents have to say.
“This is yet another example of the council failing to listen to residents’ concerns.
“We are pleased that representatives from Public Power Solutions – which many residents think is responsible for the smell – is willing to attend the meeting and engage with residents. It is a pity that the council can’t do the same.”
He said the invitation to councillors and officers remains open until the meeting starts on Monday.
'It’s been going on too long'
Earlier this week, Rodbourne Cheney resident Jan Ball told the Adver she and her family have often been kept trapped inside on sunny days. She will be at the meeting and wants others affected to attend. She said: “I want this meeting to put some pressure on the authorities to get this fixed. It’s been going on too long and lots of people have been involved.”
Noting that the council and the Environment Agency have tried to find the source, and the council is no employing specialist company Arup to investigate, Jan, 54, added: “A lot of public money has been spent on this. If the investigation does find that the stink is being caused by a private company, then I think it should have to pay all that money back.
“Whoever is responsible should have admitted it much earlier and if they are proved to be the source the money spent on finding that out should be taken from them.”
While the unpleasant smell has been appearing intermittently for years, it became a bigger issue last year with people kept to their homes and only allowed to exercise locally because of the lockdown in early 2020.
There are a number of suggested sources for the stench – the recycling and waste processing plant at Waterside park in Cheney manor industrial estate, the Thames Water sewage works in Barnfield Road, also near to the affected areas and the landfill site run by Thomas Crapper in Royal Wootton Bassett.
After the Environment Agency was not able to determine where the smell comes from, Swindon Borough Council has engaged Arup to carry out a probe. The meeting begins at 7pm at the Des Moffatt Western Community Centre in Somerset Road.