💬 Vinay Manro – Doing the Basics Well: Streets, Services and Resident Support 🌿
September 2025 update
From potholes and missed bins to protecting parks and keeping streets safe — it’s been a busy month working across Haydon Wick and Priory Vale to get the essentials right.
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September has been a month focused on local issues and getting the basics right. From fixing potholes and missed bins to improving green spaces, Vinay has been working hard to make sure Haydon Wick and Priory Vale stay clean, safe, and well looked after.
🔵 Highways and Infrastructure
Vinay has been busy reporting and resolving local highway problems, including damaged utility chambers, broken block paving, and cracked pathways. While many of these repairs fall under Swindon Borough Council, the long wait times remain a frustration for residents. Vinay continues to push for quicker repairs and better accountability.
He also resolved a long-standing issue with bin collections in a block of flats in Haydon End, improving reliability for residents.
Green waste remains a major concern. Vinay has been raising missed collections with Swindon Borough Council, especially where residents pay extra for this service but the council fails to return.
The installation of the new outdoor gym at White Eagle Play Park has also started, giving residents another place to stay active and enjoy time outdoors.
🔵 Residents’ Concerns
Vinay continues to spend time out in the community, listening to residents and reporting issues where action is needed.
• Green waste and recycling – residents remain frustrated by missed collections and slow responses from Swindon Borough Council.
• Overgrown hedges and shrubs – Vinay has made sure parish maintenance teams are keeping paths and public spaces clear and tidy.
• Drainage and flooding risks – blocked drains and ditches have been reported ahead of winter to prevent flooding.
• Parking and speeding – growing concern in residential streets, especially around schools at pick-up and drop-off times.
• Street lighting – with darker evenings approaching, residents are reminded to report any faulty or flickering lights directly to Swindon Borough Council’s online reporting page to help keep streets safe.
• Highway repairs – cracked pavements and potholes continue to be raised with Swindon Borough Council for faster attention.
Vinay continues to follow up on each issue and make sure residents’ concerns are logged and acted on.
🔵 Holding Swindon Borough Council to Account
With Labour-run Swindon Borough Council forecasting a £14 million overspend, Vinay continues to challenge poor decisions and highlight where the parish has had to step in.
The parish has been left to cover jobs the borough no longer does properly, including hedge cutting, verge maintenance, and weed spraying. Swindon Borough Council has failed to carry out full spraying for two years, meaning local councils like Haydon Wick are paying again to clean up the same areas. Vinay continues to press for fair funding and better standards so residents get the service they pay for.
🔵 Parish Projects and Oversight
Vinay continues to keep a close eye on parish finances, making sure every pound spent benefits the community.
Work has started on planning the 2025/26 parish budget, with a focus on being careful with money while still investing in things that matter most, such as play areas, open spaces, and community wellbeing.
The parish’s hedge and shrub maintenance programme in Oakhurst has been completed to a high standard, keeping paths clear and public areas welcoming.
🔵 Local Plan and Development
Vinay has been speaking with residents about the Swindon Local Plan, which sets out how and where new housing and infrastructure will be built in the future.
He has made it clear that new homes must not come before local services. Roads, schools, and health care in Priory Vale are already stretched. Adding more homes without improving infrastructure would put even more pressure on residents.
Vinay also raised the importance of protecting green spaces and biodiversity. Parks, allotments, and open land are not spare ground to be built on. They are essential to community life and environmental balance.
He continues to call for responsible, balanced development that listens to local people, protects green areas, and delivers the infrastructure communities need before any new houses are built.
🔵 Community Engagement
Vinay joined the first Tea, Toast and Talk event at Haydon Wick Parish Council, a relaxed drop-in morning for residents to share their thoughts and ask questions. The weekly event is there to keep open conversations going with the community.
He also keeps residents updated through social media and parish channels, making sure everyone can stay informed and involved in local decisions.
🔵 Environment and Standards
Vinay continues to focus on raising environmental standards across the parish, from litter picking and tree care to improving maintenance of public spaces. The parish continues to take pride in doing what the borough does not, ensuring Haydon Wick and Priory Vale remain safe, green, and well cared for.
Together with Leanne Stevenson, Vinay marked World Rivers Day on 29 September by highlighting the River Ray’s pollution history and the importance of restoration and protection. They encouraged residents to report pollution, support replanting, and help improve water quality. He continued to thank Thames Water for the work on the new sewage main but wants to see ongoing improvements to water infrastructure.
The River Ray is one of Swindon’s vital biodiversity corridors, and their shared message was clear: clean, healthy rivers are essential for both wildlife and community wellbeing.
🔵 Looking Ahead
As autumn begins, Vinay will keep working to improve roads, protect services, and represent local voices. His focus remains on delivering reliable services, protecting green spaces, and ensuring good value for residents.
His priorities for the months ahead are clear.
• Push Swindon Borough Council for quicker road and pavement repairs.
• Keep monitoring green-waste and recycling collections.
• Ensure the parish budget stays balanced and transparent.
• Protect parks and open spaces from overdevelopment.
• Encourage residents to report issues early, from streetlights to drainage, so they can be fixed before winter.
Vinay continues to show that responsible local leadership means listening to residents, delivering on the basics, and ensuring every part of Priory Vale is cared for properly.
➡️ Read the full team update: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1114718064170798&id=100068978447191
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