FED-UP residents of Rodbourne and Rodbourne Cheney who are affected by a noxious stink have been invited to visit the Waterside Park to look at how things work.

The invitation was extended to the dozens of people who turned up to a meeting put on by Labour councillors at the Des Moffatt Western Community Centre by Public Power Solutions managing director Bernie Brannan.

It was clear that those affected by a noxious “cheesy vomit” stink are convinced it comes from the Waterside Park waste recycling and processing plant – or very nearby.

While an investigation into the smell by independent consultants Arup continues, people who live in Rodbourne and Rodbourne Cheney say it can be geographically pinpointed.

Kirsty Mitchell, who lives in Slade Street of Akers way, said: “I walk my dogs on the fields where the old golf course is every day, the fields which back directly onto to waterside park. You can walk into it, there seems to be a square area of it – it’s choking, it makes you gag. You have to cover your nose with the thickest sleeve or jumper or scarf – you have just to be able to breathe. And then you can walk out of it.”

Many attending made a distinction between a longstanding intermittent smell which they say comes from the sewage plant ion Barnfield Road and the new smell. One member of the public said: “The smell from the sewage plant has been going on for years and we all know what it is. This is different – it’s a cheesy vomit smell and it started about five years ago. Something changed around then.”

Matt Garnham who lives in Brookland Avenue agreed with the distinction between the smells from the sewage farm in Barnfield Road and the newer smell. He said: “We’ve had the pong from the sewage for a long time. This is  something different – it’s acrid, it makes you gag – it is this cheesy, sick smell, very high, like something is fermenting and rotting. It started a few years ago.”

While many linked that change to the opening of the waste processing facility run by PPS, the company’s managing director Bernie Brannan said it didn’t think it was the source of the particularly noxious stink. He said: “It does smell at the site – it’s a waste-processing site. But it’s like your wheelie-bin, if you open it, it smells, if you close it and move away, it’s gone. We don’t get the cheese vomit smell onsite, and we don’t think that’s coming from the site. But we are keeping an open mind.”

Chairing the meeting Jim Grant, councillor for Rodbourne Cheney and leader of the Labour group at Euclid Street, said he was disappointed that neither members of the Conservative administration, nor council officers, nor staff from Arup, the company appointed by Swindon Borough Council to investigate the source of the smell, where at the meeting.

Coun Grant said: “I wanted Arup to be here to hear from you, so you can help them with their investigation.

“I’d like to arrange another meeting with Arup and members of the public so you can tell them where you’ve noticed this particularly smell, when you’ve noticed it. It’s very hard to describe a smell, and the people with the authority don’t know what it is you’ve been putting up with.

Then when the report is out I’d like to have a third meeting where you can give your views on it.”
Also attending was Conservative councillor for Rodbourne Cheney, Sudha Sri Nukana. She said: “The councillors did well to organise this, and I think everyone who spoke made 100 per cent sense – but it would be better to have the meeting after the Arup report was ready.”

In an attempt to help people report instances of the stench Councillor Jim Robbins has set up a Facebook page called the Rodbourne Smell.

He said: “If people report whenever the smell is happening and say where they are, I’ll report it in to the senior council officers so we can try and get people out to actually experience it for themselves. This is the quickest way to make sure it gets reported to the council.”

Anybody who would like the opportunity to visit Waterside Park to see how recycling is handled and how domestic waste is turned into fuel for the cement industry should email Coun Grant on grantji@swindon.gov.uk to make arrangements.