Garry Perkins was voted in as mayor of Swindon for 2021-22 MAYOR of Swindon Garry Perkins was praised for his diligence and love of Swindon – and gently teased for his dislike of modern technology – as councillors unanimously voted for an unprecedented second Conservative term in office. After his mayoral year was largely ruined by the Covid-19 lockdowns, Coun Perkins has been handed the chance to perform the normal duties in 2021-22 instead. Nominating him, council leader David Renard said: “Coun Perkins given the council long service, serving and deputy leader, as a cabinet member with a number of portfolios and as a member for a number of wards. He was also on Bournemouth Council for a time.
Councillors are sometimes accused of behaving like unruly schoolchildren when political wrangling breaks out – but they were on their best behaviour when in-person meetings returned in an unusual setting. The first Swindon Borough Council meeting since the pandemic began took place at the Deanery Academy, rather than the civic offices, to allow for social distancing. And the town s ward representatives – sat in serried rows, as if they were in detention – were as good as gold. It was possibly the novelty of the setting at the school s theatre, the largely uncontroversial nature of the meeting – mostly procedural – or just the strange sensation of being in a room along with other people.
THE council s first in-person meeting since the start of the coronavirus pandemic will take place on Friday. And to allow for social distancing, the full meeting of Swindon Borough Council is being held in the theatre at the Deanery Academy in Wichelstowe A law passed by the government allowing such meetings to be solely online has now expired and has not been renewed. The new venue in Wichelstowe offers more space than the usual Euclid Street venue, meaning all 57 councillors, officers and members of the public can attend. Mayor of Swindon Garry Perkins will be sworn in for a second term and his deputy will be Councillor Abdul Amin.
CALLS for compassion and moving stories of those who escaped genocide filled this year s Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony. The restrictions caused by the pandemic did not stop the annual remembrance event that has been held in Swindon for 20 years from going ahead. Though this year, councillors, MPs, community representatives and Swindonians gathered in a Zoom meeting rather than in person. Matt Holland organised the virtual ceremony, which began with the midday bells of the town centre clock echoing through the speakers of the 51 people in attendance and a performance from cellist Debbie Jennings. He spoke of this year s theme, being a light in the darkness, which encourages people to help others who face prejudice and persecution, and resist the spread of misinformation and divisive talk of us and them .