Swindon Borough Council

History

The town of Swindon was made a municipal borough in 1900 as a merger of the two urban districts of Old Swindon and New Swindon. Swindon was then governed by a body formally called the 'mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Swindon', generally known as the corporation, town council or borough council.

That first borough of Swindon and its council were abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. Its area was merged with the neighbouring Highworth Rural District to become a new non-metropolitan district called Thamesdown. Thamesdown was given borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. Thamesdown Borough Council was a lower-tier district council, with Wiltshire County Council providing county-level services in the borough.

On 1 April 1997 Thamesdown was made a unitary authority, making it administratively independent from Wiltshire County Council. The way the change was implemented was to create a new non-metropolitan county called Thamesdown covering the same area as the borough, but with no separate county council. Instead, the existing borough council took on county council functions, making it a unitary authority. In June 1996, during the transition period to becoming a unitary authority, the council passed an order that the borough and the new non-metropolitan county would both be renamed Swindon with effect from 1 April 1997 as well. Swindon remains part of the ceremonial county of Wiltshire for the purposes of lieutenancy.

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.

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. Maintenance services are usually contracted to Swindon Commercial Services (SCS), who work in partnership with the council.

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

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:

Thamesdown Borough Council (lower tier non-metropolitan district)

Swindon Borough Council (unitary authority)

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 1995 have been:

Composition

Following the 2024 election, subsequent changes of allegiance up to May 2025 and number of resignations and defections from the Labour Group in October 2025 led to the creation of a Green Party minority Group and an increased number of independent councillors. The composition of the council is:

The next elections are due in May 2026.

Premises

The council is based at the Civic Offices on Euclid Street in Swindon. 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.

Elections

Main article: Swindon Borough Council elections

Fifty-seven councillors are elected by the borough's 20 wards for four-year terms. The entire council stands for election every four years after a 2023 change in the election structure. The next election, in which every councillor will stand, is in May 2026.

Wards and councillors

*Elected as Labour candidates, defecting to Green in 2025.

Notes

References

References

1. "Council minutes, 16 May 2025".
2. (21 July 2023). "Swindon Borough Council interim chief executive names as Sam Mowbray". Swindon Advertiser.
3. (26 November 2025). "Town sees fourth councillor defect to Greens". BBC.
4. "Swindon Municipal Borough". GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth.
5. {{cite legislation UK. (1972)
6. {{cite legislation UK. (1973)
7. (28 March 1974). "District Councils and Boroughs". [[Hansard.
8. {{cite legislation UK. (1995)
9. "Historical information on changes to electoral arrangements of Local authorities, Parliamentary areas and European Parliamentary boundaries". Ordnance Survey.
10. {{cite legislation UK. (1997)
11. {{cite legislation UK. (1972)
12. (3 February 2017). "Swindon council sells loss-making Thamesdown Transport bus firm". BBC News.
13. Swindon Borough Council. "Tenders and contract opportunities". Swindon Borough Council.
14. "Cabinet and administration".
15. "Compositions Calculator". University of Exeter.
16. "Council minutes, 27 September 2001".
17. "Council minutes, 11 October 2001".
18. "Council minutes, 17 May 2002".
19. (9 July 2003). "Bulldog Bates 'had enough'". Gazette and Herald.
20. "Council minutes, 21 August 2002".
21. (4 August 2016). "Council in crisis... lead to chaos...". Swindon Advertiser.
22. "Council minutes, 16 May 2003".
23. (19 May 2006). "Farewell to the magic roundabout". BBC News.
24. "Council minutes, 19 May 2006".
25. (27 February 2013). "Swindon council leader Roderick Bluh steps down". BBC News.
26. "Council minutes, 11 April 2013".
27. (22 July 2023). "David Renard defends record as Swindon council leader". Swindon Advertiser.
28. "Council minutes, 19 May 2023".
29. "Borough election results". Swindon Borough Council.
30. "Swindon". Thorncliffe.
31. "Green Party gathers pace as two more councillors defect". Swindon Advertiser.
32. "Contacting us".
33. (8 July 1938). "Swindon's loyal welcome to the Duke of Gloucester: New Civic Offices opened". North Wilts Herald.
34. (2023-10-13). "Swindon Borough Council votes for election every four years". BBC News.