New-look Trust's challenge to politicians 

Mechanics' campaigners want to be part of the 'big society'

The trust battling to save Swindon�s most historic building has relaunched with a new logo and a challenge to local and national politicians.

Daniel Rose, Chairman of the New Mechanics� Institution Preservation Trust Limited, told a meeting of the Swindon Civic Trust that from now on the organisation would be called simply the Mechanics� Institution Trust.

And while exclusively revealing the Trust�s new logo to SwindonWeb, Daniel said the time had come for action to save the 155-year building.

 

�The Mechanics� symbolises what we can have that�s better... and also what we�ve lost� Daniel Rose, the Chairman of the Mechanics� Institution Trust

 
�We heard a lot in the run-up to the election about moving from �big government� to a �big society�, in which the community would solve its own problems,� said Daniel.

�Well, the time has come to do that for the Mechanics�.

�My challenge to politicians is to take those quotes about the �big society� and ask them how they are going to implement them locally.

�I am meeting South Swindon�s new MP, Robert Buckland, tomorrow (Friday, June 11) to ask him just that.�

 

Neglected: the former Mechanics' Institute in Emlyn Square

He said the Trust had been �very fair and supportive of Swindon Borough Council� as various parties tried to resolve the future of the Grade II* Listed building, but cast doubt on politicians� will for open and transparent government.

�Twelve months ago we were having regular meetings with the Council, but if you asked me where we are now, I�d have to say I don�t know.

�There are discussions going on behind closed doors that we are not part of.�

He said there was a deep-rooted cultural issue among councillors who could only see the Mechanics� as a problem, rather than a solution. A restored Mechanics� would, he said, give Swindon �a heart, a sense of identity and something to be proud of�. 

 

He pointed to detailed Trust plans to turn the building over to public use, and sustain it with a business plan that has undergone a rigorous feasibility study.

Swindon Borough Council was failing in its obligation to look at suitable options for using the building for �learning, cultural and social activities� � but this was nothing new.

�To be fair, there has been no distinction between Labour and Conservative councillors and officers in the last 20 years. It hasn�t made any difference.

�But we like the idea that we could be part of the �big society�, and that is something we are going to be testing in the coming months.�

He said the Trust will be putting pressure on both local and national politicians to issue a Compulsory Purchase Order on the building, which is currently privately owned by property developer Mathew Singh.

�The Mechanics� symbolises what we can have that�s better,� said Daniel, �and also what we�ve lost.�