When Labour took control of Swindon Borough Council in May 2023, our town faced its toughest challenges in decades. A £27 million budget gap, neglected services, and a loss of public trust threatened the very fabric of our community. Some said Swindon was broken. We refused to accept that.
Our first step was listening. Through Let’s Talk Swindon – the biggest public engagement in our history – residents helped shape the Swindon Plan: a vision rooted in fairness, opportunity, and sustainability. That openness has made us one of the most transparent councils in the UK and earned us a nomination for Most Improved Council. So far, we have delivered over 200 of the objectives from the Plan and will be presenting an update to Cabinet next week.
Two years on, the results speak for themselves. Anti-social behaviour is down by 10% in the areas we have targeted. No family spends more than six weeks in emergency accommodation. We opened The Base, the first new youth provision in years. And we closed that £27 million gap without cutting frontline services—proving that responsibility and compassion can go hand in hand.
But this is just the beginning. Swindon is growing again. The Heart of Swindon regeneration and Knowledge Central projects will deliver thousands of homes and jobs. The £33 million Fleming Way upgrade will transform connectivity and is already kickstarting regeneration. New businesses are looking to locate in The Parade. STARK opened their new Drone facility last week and there is much more inward investment to come.
Swindon businesses are driving green tech innovation, making Swindon a hub for the future. We will be launching our Decarbonisation Framework which provides a credible pathway for responsibly reducing carbon emissions by the Council and across Swindon at the Cabinet meeting, as well as taking the exciting decision to send an Expression of Interest letter with our partners in Berkshire and Oxfordshire in creating the Thames Valley devolved region. This will give us more powers and more funding to drive the town forward.
As Leader, I believe our story is one of resilience and ambition. Swindon isn’t just bouncing back—it’s building forward. Every decision we make is about creating a fairer, greener, better town for the next generation.
Our political opponents will try to tell you Swindon is broken. We say Swindon is rebuilding, reimagining, and rising. You voted for change—and together, we’re delivering it. This is your town, your future. Let’s keep moving forward.