A COUNCIL meeting held to discuss plans for a canal in Swindon descended into a political Punch and Judy show just a week before the elections.

The cabinet meeting held last night at Swindon Civic Offices was held to see if plans for a canal through Swindon should be explored further.

But the meeting swiftly turned into a heated debate with Leader of the council Rod Bluh accusing his Labour opponents of lack of vision.

Liberal Democrat Stan Pajak put forward the motion that the council, before finalising its support for a canal in central Swindon, should agree that further officer time and council finance be spent on the project leading to a local poll of the residents of Swindon on whether they support a canal.

Labour councillors said they would oppose the motion because they didn't feel it was right for Swindon.

Coun Bluh said: "What I can't understand is why you are so short-sighted, why you have no vision.

"This isn't a matter of if the canal will happen, because it will happen; it is just a matter of where it will be sited."

Liberal Democrat leader Stan Pajak called for a referendum on the matter saying that if were up to the people the canal would be dead in the water.

He said: "There is a clear indication from the people of Swindon that the canal is not wanted.

"There are economic benefits from having a canal, but these are in places that already have an existing canal that has been regenerated, not one that has to be dug up and created again.

"We will be opposing the motion because it is not right for the people of Swindon, it will not benefit the people of Swindon because although it is a sound idea it won't work here."

The discussion ended with members called to vote on Coun Pajak's motion. Forty-one members voted in favour with 10 against and one abstention.

The result of the vote means that the council will now look into the possibility of a canal in more detail, using the findings to put the matter to a public poll.