Archive
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Remember the sensible days?
The dreaded council tax bill came through most people's letter boxes today, bringing with it a 15 per cent increase. Councillors can try to defend this increase, and they might be able to convince some. But how do you explain such a hefty rise to people
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Time for action
ANDY KING is expected to strengthen his squad today after questioning whether some of his players are already on their 'summer holidays'. The mystery man, thought to be a left-sided player, will be brought in after King watched his side crash to a third
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Tiddleywink is on the map
THE heritage of the Wiltshire hamlet of Tiddleywink has been traced by staff at the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office. As previously reported in the Evening Advertiser, the eight-home community recently came to prominence when the county council gave
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The key to the future?
Computer technology may have evolved since the 1960's, but a surprising number of businesses have yet to climb on board the IT juggernaut. JEREMY SMITH talks to Stuart Penny (right) of Swindon-based Software Solutions for Business about the role of e-commerce
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Number of reported race hate crimes up
WILTSHIRE is suffering more race hate crime than multi-cultural Bristol, new figures claim. But in Swindon, police deny such incidents are on the rise. There were 28 people charged with a racially motivated offence in Wiltshire in 2001/2, compared to
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COUNCIL TAX: Council services are worth the money
Steve Dearlove, 38, and his wife Rebecca, 19, live in a terraced house in Penhill. It is a Band B property meaning they will pay £809.88 a year from April 1. Mr Dearlove earns around £16,000 a year as a martial arts instructor and supports his wife, who
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COUNCIL TAX: Retired couple tax amounts to more than one month's income
For retired couple Ronald and Betty Waldron, 77, the council tax now accounts for considerably more than a month's income. The pair live in a three-bedroom house in The Mall, Old Town, which is in Band E, making their bill £1,272.66. Mr Waldron, 79, has
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COUNCIL TAX: Who pays what, and who gets a discount?
There are 78,745 domestic properties in the borough. They are broken down into the following bands: A: 12,972, B:24,887, C: 18,787, D: 11,901, E: 6,660, F: 2,398, G:1,076, H:64 Anyone on income support or job seekers allowance, or on a low income with
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COUNCIL TAX: Get ready for those council tax bills
RESIDENTS in 78,000 Swindon households may have had an unpleasant surprise when they checked their post this morning. Council tax bills have been sent out for the new financial year and, as most people will already know, they are between 15 and 16 per
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Warden quits after damage
REPEATED vandalism at St Timothy's Church in Liden has prompted one of its church wardens to quit. The church, which operates under a Church of England and Methodist partnership, has been the subject of vandalism on several occasions this year. And the
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Support arriving slowly.
Park and ride schemes were trumpeted amid much enthusiasm more than a decade ago but took a long time to catch on in Swindon. Critics thought the town's two schemes, at The Copse in Cricklade Road and at Croft Road, Wroughton, would become white elephants
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Hosts go down by one point
CHIPPENHAM saw chances slip through their fingers as Swanage & Wareham inflicted a second home league defeat of the season on them, 20-19. Forced to make several late changes, Chippenham launched a brave fightback from 13-3 down, but Swans hung on
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Minety crown perfect season
MARVELLOUS Minety celebrated their own version of the 'Grand Slam' as a hard-fought 15-8 victory at Supermarine completed a clean sweep in their 12 Dorset & Wilts Division Two North matches this season. Despite yielding an early lead to the home side
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New golfing paper launched.
A NEW monthy publication called The South West Golfer has been launched and is expected to become the leading golf publication in the region. Newsquest, one of the leading publishers of websites, daily and weekly newspapers in the country and a member
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Trowbridge cup dream foiled by Devizes keeper
TROWBRIDGE almost caused an upset in the quarter finals of the Wiltshire Senior Cup when they were unlucky to be beaten 1-0 by Screwfix League side Devizes Town. Trowbridge boss Neil Kirkpatrick said: "The lads are gutted. They played Devizes off the
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Three Foot Difference
WILTS LEAGUE Premier leaders Shrewton United kept the goals flowing with a 5-3 away win over Bradford Town. Dean Foot's hat-trick proved decisive as the striker quickly converted a cross from Jessie Walters early in the game to put United ahead. Nick
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Chefs serve up at awards
CHEFS from Eurest Defence Support Services gave the competition a roasting in a national cooking competition. Shrivenham culinary master, Richard Bowden, captained the team which took the honours at the Bedford Salon Culinaire, held at Bedford College
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Tiddleywink is on the map
THE heritage of the Wiltshire hamlet of Tiddleywink has been traced by staff at the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office. As previously reported in the Evening Advertiser, the eight-home community recently came to prominence when the county council gave
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Website is in 15 most improved
SWINDON Council's website has been rated as one of the top 15 most improved. It was given the rating by an independent assessor in this year's review of all UK local authority websites. Now in its fifth year, the annual survey by Better Connected, published
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Nostalgia rules for centenary of flight
LEGENDS of the air went on display at Wroughton airfield to celebrate 100 years of powered flight. The airfield near Swindon, which houses the London Science Museum's extensive aircraft collection, opened its hangars at the weekend to offer people a free
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Youngsters vote with their feet - and voices - for outgoing mayor!
SWINDON mayor Stan Pajak is breaking with tradition again - by marking his year of office with a gala concert. Instead of the more usual charity ball associated with outgoing civic dignitaries, Coun Pajak (Lib Dem, Eastcott), who leaves office in May
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Driver sought after accident
POLICE are trying to trace the driver of a red Nissan Micra which was involved in an accident on the B4696 in Ashton Keynes. The accident happened at 3.50pm on Friday and involved three vehicles. Police believe the driver of the Nissan was female. The
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Work to start on crossing
A new pedestrian crossing is to be installed in Princes Street. Work will begin next Monday and is expected to take around six weeks. It will see new traffic signals installed as well as changes to the central reservation and extra street lights. The
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Conference to analyse mental health
Psychiatrists and other mental health specialists are set to descend on the town to take part in a national conference. The event, being held at the De Vere Hotel at Shaw Ridge on Friday, will focus on the role of the psychiatrist and how the treatment
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Will he be council's new leader?
SIMON Birch, the man currently acting as chief executive of Swindon Council, has been approached to take on the post full-time. Mr Birch, formerly head of the council's environmental services department, was one of three short-listed candidates from more
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Can she star in it? yes, she can!
A CUSTOMER service advisor at English Heritage in Swindon is to star in the latest Bob The Builder video. Florence Lumsden is the inspiration behind Dr Florence Mountfitchett - a character in the latest video, The Knights of Can-A-Lot. Her claim to fame
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COUNCIL TAX: Nowhere to run for the council tax dodgers
ANYONE thinking about dodging the bill is unlikely to be successful - the council has a collection rate of 97 per cent. Anyone not paying up will be sent two reminders and then a final demand calling on them to pay the full amount for the year. The next
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Shame on the Swindonians!
I RECENTLY observed several employees of Swindon Services hand-picking paper, plastic food containers, cans and bottles (some smashed) from hedges and coppices in the Shaw area. This was a much needed but labour-intensive and expensive operation which
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Horses are too loved to harm
I FEEL I must take Mr Day to task over his somewhat misguided comments regarding his allegations of cruelty in the horse racing industry (EA February 19). He deems all owners and jockeys to be bullies who "send injured horses to race and be abused by
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Children should take no part in animal hunting
AFTER the recent revelations of Marlborough College boys involved in twice-a-week beagling, clearly it is time to close the loopholes in the Hunting Bill and put it forward as a total ban on live animal hunting. James Gray MP, prominent in the pro-hunting
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Attack the war-mongers where it hurts
IN a recent letter I have received from North Wilts MP James Gray (to which he attached a supporting letter from Jack Straw) he states that like his leader Iain Duncan Smith he fully supports Tony Blair and George Bush in their intention to declare an
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No good reasons for war
Iraq is down on its knees. Children are dying because of lack of care and food, so any silly comparisons about appeasement in the 1930s is not on. No evidence of any weapons of mass destruction has been produced. The whole idea of weapons of mass destruction
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We should ban Asylum seekers
SO Ms Anne Lubin worries about Mr Frank Avenell (EA March 3). I think that the boot should be on the other foot. Frank, who served his country in the Second World War, is a true patriot who writes to defend our British way of life. Ms Lubin on the other
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Convince us to leave our cars at home
Swindon Council's idea to close 800 car parking spaces in the town and replace them with four new park and ride schemes is an excellent one . . . with certain provisos. If the council can guarantee that all the park and ride areas are secure; that buses
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So just how much will it cost me?
For a company of 15 people all requiring email, web access, centralised file store and general office applications, the following is an outline shopping list for budgetary purposes. PCs: about £500 each x 15 = £7,500 Server: £1,000-£3,000 Network: £1000
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Number of reported race hate crimes up
WILTSHIRE is suffering more race hate crime than multi-cultural Bristol, new figures claim. But in Swindon, police deny such incidents are on the rise. There were 28 people charged with a racially motivated offence in Wiltshire in 2001/2, compared to
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How war became a burning issue
MARCH 17: PEACE protesters have been continuing to gather at a camp outside Gate 10 of RAF Fairford as the threat of war looms large. And one man gave a public display of defiance against imminent military action by burning his American passport in front
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IRAQ CRISIS: Cook resigns
Leader of the House of Commons Robin Cook has resigned from the cabinet minutes before an emergency meeting of ministers. Downing Street announced his resignation shortly after an emergency Cabinet had gathered at 4pm. A Number 10 spokeswoman said: "Robin
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COUNCIL TAX: What do you pay?
Christopher Scott, 69, and his wife Mary live on a state pension and a small private one. Their three-bedroom semi in Pinehurst falls into Band C, making their council tax bill £925.57. Mr Scott said the new council tax bill will account for roughly one
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Council plans to raise cost of parking next month
Swindon Council benefits from the use of town centre cark parks to the tune of £3 million a year and controls some 5,000 off-street parking spaces with a further 400 in Old Town. Private parking operators control around 1,000 spaces - the majority of
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No parking
Swindon Council is to cut 800 car parking spaces in the town centre while pushing ahead with plans for four new park and rides with a total of 2,000 spaces. While multi-storey car parks are safe, the council is to close most of the surface level car parks
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Bassett suffer ref justice
WOOTTON Bassett were left pointing to a controversial refereeing decision as they were beaten by a single point 12-11 at home by Redingensians in Southern Counties South. The game was an ill-tempered affair and, at one point, Bassett were down to 13 players
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Marlborough pay price
MARLBOROUGH'S two-month long search for a win continues after a 32-27 home slip-up to Colerne in Dorset & Wilts Two North. The home side were the first to draw blood in the second minute when fly-half Geraint Jones slotted over a penalty. But a series
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It's Paul's Day
Paul Day was in fine form for Highworth Town, bagging a hat-trick in his side's 6-0 away win over Pegasus Juniors. The three points was just the tonic needed for the Wiltshire side after a disappointing midweek defeat by Yate Town. Highworth, without
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Cirencester's win drought continues
STRUGGLING Cirencester squandered an early lead to lose 3-1 at home to 10-man Gresley Rovers. Brian Hughes' side looked on course to secure their first league win since January 18 when Ben Fitch netted in the eighth minute. But Jon Newsome's Gresley pulled
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Another Mare for Ray's men
SWINDON SUPERMARINE remain nine points adrift of Western Division safety after another tale of misfortune and missed chances. Ray Baverstock's side more than held their own against title-chasing Weston-super-Mare for 83 minutes before a couple of late
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Corsham stun league leaders to ease drop fears
CORSHAM TOWN eased their relegation fears in fine style on Saturday with a shock 2-1 win over Division One leaders Exmouth. Although the Southbank side went into the game on the back of a fine 4-0 win over Cadbury Heath, few had expected them to take
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Up, up and away!
BUBBLY bride-of-the-year Lucy Griffin has been trying to arrange every last detail of her dream wedding - by agonising over the shape and colour of the confetti. But the dental nurse, 20, who lives with fianc Neil Zerebecki in Osprey Close, Covingham,
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Be a star with Fame project
THE Wyvern Theatre today began the search for 250 youngsters to star in the musical, Fame. Singers, dancers, actors and backstage crew are wanted to join the Wyvern Theatre's 10th Summer Youth Project. Auditions will be held on Monday, May 5 at the theatre
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Phones for fire crews
MOBILE phones have been handed out at Swindon Fire Station in case power cuts sever the link to retained crews needed for emergencies. In the last month, the Drove Road station has suffered a mains power failure, and the generator which provides backup
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Computers worth £2,000 stolen
THIEVES broke into Cricklade Town Council's Civic Offices and stole computer equipment worth nearly £2,000. Police believe a gang used a crowbar to force their way through a small window at the rear of the offices in Cricklade High Street. Cables were
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Barn dance success.
ADULTS with disabilities were treated to a special barn dance at the Upham Road Centre, Swindon. Wroughton Folk and Dance Club hosted the latest in its series of folk dances for those suffering from physical and learning difficulties. Men and women of
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Number of reported race hate crimes up
WILTSHIRE is suffering more race hate crime than multi-cultural Bristol, new figures claim. But in Swindon, police deny such incidents are on the rise. There were 28 people charged with a racially motivated offence in Wiltshire in 2001/2, compared to
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We don't want money
As candidates standing for election to Swindon Council in the May elections we would like to say that we are totally opposed to the rise of 43 per cent in councillors' allowances. We also opposed the 15 per cent rise in council tax. The question should
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The joke is on the taxpayer
ON reading the Evening Advertiser on Friday February 28, I had to take a quick look at the top of the page for the date thinking that somehow the whole of March had passed me by and we were into April, April 1 in fact. But it was no April Fool's joke
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Different issues
THERE is a wealth of difference between officially monitored, integrative levels of migrants being allowed into this country and the unholy debacle that currently passes as immigration policy as Anne Lubin well knows. Likewise she is also fully aware
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Grewcock in double blow
HOME skipper Danny Grewcock suffered a double dose of agony as Saints' centre Peter Jorgensen heaped more Rec misery on troubled Bath. Second row Grewcock may face disciplinary action after picking up his third yellow card inside four months for a first-half
