Swindon Borough Council

Swindon Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Swindon in Wiltshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. As such, it is administratively separate from the rest of Wiltshire. It was formed in 1997, replacing Thamesdown Borough Council.

Swindon Borough Council
Swindon Borough Council logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1997[lower-alpha 1]
Preceded byThamesdown Borough Council
Wiltshire County Council
Leadership
Barbara Parry,
Conservative
since 19 May 2023
Jim Robbins,
Labour
since 19 May 2023
Susie Kemp
since 13 July 2018
Structure
Seats57 councillors
Swindon Borough Council composition
Political groups
Administration (32)
  Labour (32)
Other parties (25)
  Conservative (24)
  Liberal Democrats (1)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
Plurality-at-large
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
2024
Meeting place
Civic Offices at Swindon
Civic Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JH
Website
www.swindon.gov.uk

Powers, functions and operations

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the Local Government Act 1972 and subsequent legislation. For the purposes of local government, Swindon Borough is a non-metropolitan area of England. As a unitary authority, Swindon Borough Council has the powers and functions of both a non-metropolitan county and district council. In its capacity as a district council it is a billing authority collecting Council Tax and business rates, it processes local planning applications, and it is responsible for housing, waste collection and environmental health. In its capacity as a county council it is a local education authority, responsible for social services, libraries and waste disposal.[1]

Since 2010, many schools in the area have become academies, with the council losing control. It was also the owner of Swindon's main bus operator, Thamesdown Transport, until 2017 when it sold the business to the Go-Ahead Group due to issues with funding.[2] Maintenance services are usually contracted to Swindon Commercial Services (SCS), who work in partnership with the council.[3]

The council's principal decision-making body is its cabinet, which comprises the leader and (as of 2022) nine portfolio-holding members.[4]

Political control

The first election to Thamesdown Borough Council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1974. Thamesdown was renamed Swindon and became a unitary authority on 1 April 1997. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[5]

Thamesdown Borough Council (non-metropolitan district)

Party in controlYears
Labour1974–1976
No overall control1976–1978
Labour1978–1997

Swindon Borough Council (unitary authority)

Party in controlYears
Labour1997–2000
No overall control2000–2004
Conservative2004–2023
Labour2023–present

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Swindon, with political leadership instead being provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1998 have been:[6]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Sue Bates Labour1998
Maurice Fanning Labour19981999
Sue Bates Labour199927 Sep 2001
Mike Bawden Conservative11 Oct 200117 May 2002
Sue Bates Labour17 May 200221 Aug 2002
Kevin Small Labour21 Aug 200216 May 2003
Mike Bawden Conservative16 May 200319 May 2006
Roderick Bluh Conservative19 May 200611 Apr 2013
David Renard Conservative11 Apr 20137 May 2023
Jim Robbins Labour19 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2023 election and one subsequent change of allegiance and a by-election in July 2023, the composition of the council was:[7][8][9]

Party Councillors
Labour32
Conservative24
Liberal Democrats1
Total57

The next elections are due in May 2024.

Premises

The council is based at the Civic Offices on Euclid Street in Swindon.[10] The building was built for the old municipal borough council, and had been formally opened by Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester on 5 July 1938.[11]

Elections
Main article: Swindon Borough Council elections

Fifty-seven councillors are elected by the borough's 20 wards for four-year terms. Approximately one-third of the council stands for election in rotation every year for three consecutive years, and in the fourth year there are no elections.[12]

Wards and councillors
Parliamentary constituency Ward Councillor Party Term of office
North Swindon Blunsdon and Highworth Steve Weisinger Conservative 2022–26
Nick Gardiner Conservative 2019–23
Vijay Manro Conservative 2021–24
Gorse Hill and Pinehurst Carol Shelley Labour 2022–26
John Ballman Labour 2023-27
Ray Ballman Labour 2021–24
Haydon Wick Matt Lodge Labour 2022–26
Stanka Adamcova Labour 2023-27
John Jackson Conservative 2021–24
Penhill and Upper Stratton Claire Crilly Labour 2022–26
Ravi Ventakesh Labour 2023-27
Dan Smith Conservative 2021–24
Priory Vale Rob Heath Labour 2022–26
Rajhia Ali Labour 2023-27
Jo Morris Conservative 2021–24
Rodbourne Cheney William Stone Labour 2022–26
Jim Grant Labour 2023-27
Sudha Sri Nukana Conservative 2021–24
St Andrews Jake Chandler Conservative 2022–26
Jason Mills Labour 2023-27
Daniel Adams Conservative 2021–24
St Margaret and South Marston Matthew Vallender Conservative 2022–26
Tom Butcher Labour 2023-27
Russell Holland Conservative 2021–24
Both constituencies Covingham and Dorcan Kevin Parry Conservative
Dale Heenan Conservative 2023-27
Barbara Parry Conservative 2021–24
Mannington and Western Jim Robbins Labour 2022–26
Fay Howard Labour 2023-27
Kevin Small Labour 2021–24
South Swindon Central Anabelle Pegado Conservative 2022–26
Adorabelle Amaral-Shaikh Labour 2023-27
Lourenco Fernandes Conservative 2021–24
Chiseldon and Lawn Lawrence Elliott Conservative 2022–26
Neil Hopkins Labour 2023-27
Eastcott Imtiyaz Shaikh Labour 2022–26
Paul Dixon Labour 2023-27
Marina Strinkovsky Labour 2021–24
Liden, Eldene and Park South Janine Howarth Labour 2022–26
Mike Davies Labour 2023-27
Curtis Flux Conservative 2021–24
Lydiard and Freshbrook Sean Wilson Labour 2022–26
Repi Begum Labour 2023-27
Matthew Courtliff Conservative 2021–24
Old Town Nadine Watts Labour 2022–26
Chris Watts Labour 2023-27
Jane Milner-Barry Labour 2021–24
Ridgeway Gary Sumner Conservative 2021–24
Shaw Suresha Gattapur Conservative 2022–26
Junab Ali Labour 2023-27
Keith Williams Conservative 2021–24
Walcot and Park North Abdul Amin Labour 2022–26
Emma Bushell Labour 2023-27
Jamal Miah Labour 2021–24
Wroughton and Wichelstowe David Martyn Conservative 2022–26
Adam Poole Liberal Democrats 2023-27
Brian Ford Conservative 2021–24

Notes
  1. Borough council gained unitary authority functions.

References
  1. "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 27 April 2023
  2. "Swindon council sells loss-making Thamesdown Transport bus firm". BBC News. 3 February 2017.
  3. Swindon Borough Council. "Tenders and contract opportunities". Swindon Borough Council. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  4. "Cabinet and administration". Swindon Borough Council. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  5. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  6. "Council minutes". Swindon Borough Council. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  7. "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  8. Thomas, Aled (12 May 2023). "Councillor rejoins Swindon Conservatives months after leaving". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  9. Thomas, Aled (21 July 2023). "Conservatives celebrate by-election win in Swindon". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  10. "Contacting us". Swindon Borough Council. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  11. "Swindon's loyal welcome to the Duke of Gloucester: New Civic Offices opened". North Wilts Herald. Swindon. 8 July 1938. p. 16. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  12. "How to become a councillor". Swindon Borough Council. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
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