Cllr Leanne Stevenson

18/06/2026

How Do We Meet Rising SEND Demand? 📚

A recent BBC Points West report highlighted the growing pressures facing SEND education.

One specialist school in Swindon has seen pupil numbers rise from 74 to 174 over the past 20 years. That’s an increase of more than 135%. The report highlighted a number of challenges, including rising demand, increasing complexity of need, difficulties recruiting specialist staff, and the pressure this places on schools and families.

The Government has announced an additional £3 billion for SEND provision nationally. The challenge now is ensuring that investment reaches the frontline and delivers the support children, young people and families need. At the heart of this discussion must be outcomes. Every child and young person deserves the opportunity to thrive, achieve their potential, develop independence and move into adulthood with the skills and support they need to succeed.

How do we ensure rising demand is matched by better outcomes for children and young adults with SEND?

18/06/2026

Mouldon Hill Country Park Lake - Reported to Swindon Borough Council 🦆🌿

Yesterday morning, I visited Mouldon Hill Country Park with Cllr Vinay Manro after a local resident raised concerns on my social media about the w**d growing in the lake. On arrival, the problem was clear. Large areas of the lake are now covered in a thick layer of duckw**d and blanketw**d algae. In places the surface and the build-up is spreading around the margins, across the fishing platforms, and through the very areas where our ducks and wildfowl feed. I have now formally reported this to Swindon Borough Council (ref: MEM014552) under Country Parks, and asked for our Ranger team to step in as a matter of urgency as the dense algae and duckw**d can strip oxygen out of the water putting fish and other wildlife under real stress. The longer it’s left, the harder it becomes to bring back under control. Acting now, while it can still be physically cleared, makes a real difference.

I’ll keep you updated on the council’s response and any work scheduled. If you’ve noticed issues at Mouldon Hill or any of our green spaces, please do let myself (Cllr Leanne Stevenson), Cllr Vinay Manro or Cllr Alex Hughes know and we will raise on your behalf.

17/06/2026

4 days to go - Swindon’s Armed Forces Day🎖️

For more information:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BU3quMd1S/?mibextid=wwXIfr

17/06/2026

Our Community, Our Local, Our Three Lions at The Tawny Owl ⚽️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Great to see The Tawny Owl Swindon in Priory Vale getting right behind England’s World Cup campaign tonight for England v Croatia, kick-off at 9pm with food served until kick-off and hot dogs all game.

England’s group games at The Tawny Owl:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England v Croatia, Tonight, 9pm
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England v Ghana, Tues 23 June, 9pm
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England v Panama, Sat 27 June, 10pm

Keep your eyes peels on their social media for more updates and game fixtures.

16/06/2026

Thank you to the Swindon Advertiser for covering our recent ward walk.

Being present all year round matters, not just at election time. It helps us spot local issues, listen to residents, and make sure concerns are reported to the right teams.

Every report helps improve Priory Vale.

Two councillors have reported a series of issues following a ward walk

16/06/2026

Haydon Wick Skate Park 🛴🛹

Haydon Wick Skate Park is a popular local facility and a dedicated space for children, young people and families to enjoy outdoor activity.

The skate park opened in September 2020 and was designed to support a range of users, including those using skateboards, scooters, bikes and wheelchairs. It is suitable for different ages and abilities, making it a valuable outdoor space for keeping active, building confidence and developing skills.

Haydon Wick Council also works in partnership with ATBShop to deliver organised skate park events throughout the year. I have attended three of these events, including two skate-focused sessions, and they have consistently demonstrated the value of structured, well-supported youth provision. These events make effective use of the skate park, encourage positive participation, and provide children, young people and families with an accessible way to engage in sport, skill development and outdoor activity.

Please do keep an eye out for future Haydon Wick Parish Council events held in partnership with ATB Skate Shop. They are a strong example of how local facilities can be used positively to support young people, encourage participation and make outdoor spaces more accessible. If you have not already visited, the skate park is well worth checking out.

The skate park is located at SN25 1QQ
What3Words: fluffed.guests.teach.

Opening hours:

October – March: 9:00am to 6:00pm
April – May: 9:00am to 7:30pm
May – September: 9:00am to 9:00pm

Open Monday to Sunday, 7 days a week.

There is also an interactive video of the park available here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1LAJsct3R2/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Cllr Leanne Stevenson

16/06/2026

Update on damaged trees at Mouldon Hill Country Park 🌳

Following my report about the damaged trees at Mouldon Hill, case reference MEM014260, I’ve now received confirmation that action is being taken.

This is a positive step forward and a direct response to the concerns residents raised about the condition of the newly planted trees, including watering, wind damage, vandalism and ongoing care.

The Tree Wardens are being asked to look at holding their next meeting at Mouldon Hill, and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust will also explore whether volunteer teams can attend more regularly to help water and w**d the hedges.

The damaged trees were planted through the Trees for Climate grant, and funding is available to replace them during the winter months.

Thank you to everyone who cares about protecting and improving our local green spaces.

Original Facebook post:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122177989838910385&id=61577311552332&mibextid=wwXIfr

15/06/2026

Museum & Art Swindon: Free Family Fun, Reading Trails & New School Workshops 🦕📚

I had a wonderful walk around Museum & Art Swindon with my family over the weekend.

Set inside the Civic Offices on the top floor with free admission, this museum packs in more than you’d expect, from Jurassic-era fossils (Swindon was once covered by a tropical sea full of marine reptiles), to Roman pottery, Stone Age tools, Victorian railway history, and Swindon’s role in WWII war production and post-war rebuilding. There’s even a baby ichthyosaur skeleton hiding in the gallery if you can spot it….

Right now they’ve teamed up with the National Literacy Trust in Swindon for the National Year of Reading 2026 with their “Go All In” campaign. My children loved the Story Stations dotted around, little reading prompts tied to objects in each gallery, paired with book recommendations like The Worrysaurus, Stig of the Dump, Asterix in Britain, and Horrible Histories: Rotten Romans. There’s also a “Sharing Stories” trail with a map and activity sheet that got my little one hunting for objects all over the museum, along side dressing up stations. Such a great free activity for families, and a real hidden gem.

📢 Teachers, they’ve also just launched new exhibition workshops for schools, running from now until May 2027:

🎨 How You See Me (KS1–KS4 Art): portraiture exhibition and workshop

🏺 Beneath the Surface (KS2–KS4 Art): hands-on clay workshop

🧸 How We Used to Live: Toys (KS1 History): play-based History Detectives visit

More info: https://www.museumartswindon.com/about/news/new-exhibition-workshops-for-schools/

If you’d like to support them further, they’ve got volunteering opportunities and an online shop too… https://www.museumartswindon.com/

Museum information: Museum & Art Swindon, Civic Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JH

Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10:30am to 4:30pm. Closed Mondays & Sundays.

Telephone: 01793 466556
Email: [email protected]

15/06/2026

Wednesday Ward Walk Update 🌳🍃

Last week we were out across Bluebell Path, Windflower Road and surrounding areas, identifying and reporting local issues that need attention whilst litter picking.

The following have now been raised with the relevant teams:

1. Overgrown brambles, nettles and hedges encroaching onto footpaths and handrails

2. Bluebell Path street sign obscured by vegetation and defaced with paint

3. Graffiti on a bollard and utility cabinet

4. Dead or dying tree requiring inspection

5. Lamppost obscured by overgrown vegetation

6. W**d growth along kerbs and road edges

7. Raised footpath surface creating a trip hazard

Thank you to everyone who stopped to speak with us while we were out in the ward. Every report helps us build a clearer picture of local issues and ensures concerns are raised with the correct organisation.

📋 Reports raised:

HWPC10837 – Overgrown vegetation and Bluebell Path sign
HWPC10836 – Graffiti on bollard
MEM014498 – Dead/dying tree inspection
MEM014501 – Obstructed street light
MEM014502 – W**d spraying request
MEM014504 – Raised footpath trip hazard
Openreach notified regarding graffiti on utility cabinet

We will be back out again next Wednesday. Where should we walk next? Let us know in the comments.

14/06/2026

Good news: This week’s NHS strike action cancelled

The resident doctors’ strike planned across Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire hospitals this week, including Great Western Hospital in Swindon, has been called off following an agreement between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Department of Health and Social Care.

Please continue to attend any appointments as planned and access NHS services as normal if you need them.

For background on this week’s planned action (now cancelled):

https://bsw.icb.nhs.uk/local-health-services-call-for-public-support-during-upcoming-resident-doctors-strike/