Borough of Swindon

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Borough of Swindon
Unitary authority area and borough
Swindon-view crop.jpg
Swindon UK locator map.svg
Shown within Wiltshire
Coordinates: 51°33′47″N1°45′47″W / 51.563°N 1.763°W / 51.563; -1.763
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region South West England
Ceremonial county Wiltshire
Status Unitary authority
Admin HQ Swindon
Government
 • TypeUnitary authority
 • Body Swindon Borough Council
 • LeadershipLeader & Cabinet (Labour)
 •  MPs Heidi Alexander (L)
Will Stone (L)
Danny Kruger (C)
Area
 • Total
88.84 sq mi (230.10 km2)
 • Rank137th (of 296)
Population
 (2022)
 • Total
235,657
 • Rank79th (of 296)
 • Density2,700/sq mi (1,000/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
[1]
 •  Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[1]
 •  Religion
List
Time zone UTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+1 (BST)
ISO 3166 GB-SWD
ONS code 00HX (ONS) E06000030 (GSS)
OS grid reference SU164849
Website Official website OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The Borough of Swindon is a unitary authority area with borough status in Wiltshire, England. Centred on Swindon, it is the most north-easterly district of South West England.

Contents

History

The first borough of Swindon was a municipal borough, created in 1900 as a merger of the two urban districts of Old Swindon and New Swindon. [2]

In 1974 the borough of Thamesdown was created under the Local Government Act 1972. Thamesdown covered the areas of the municipal borough of Swindon and the neighbouring Highworth Rural District (which had been created in 1894), which were both abolished at the same time. [3] [4] Thamesdown was a lower-tier non-metropolitan district, with Wiltshire County Council being the higher-tier authority for the area. Thamesdown was given borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. [5]

On 1 April 1997 Thamesdown was made a unitary authority, making it administratively independent from Wiltshire County Council. [6] In June 1996, during the transition period to becoming a unitary authority, the council passed an order that the area would be renamed Swindon with effect from 1 April 1997 as well. [7] The former Thamesdown name and logo continued to be used by the municipal bus operator, Thamesdown Transport, until 2017 when it was sold and renamed to "Swindon's Bus Company". [8] Swindon remains part of the ceremonial county of Wiltshire for the purposes of lieutenancy. [9]

Geography

The borough of Swindon occupies an area forming the north east corner of Wiltshire and is bordered by two other counties, Gloucestershire (to the north) and Oxfordshire (to the east). West Berkshire is also only a short distance from the borough's south eastern tip. The generally hilly landscape is sculpted by the upper Thames guiding the northern border, small tributaries draining into the Thames, and the Marlborough Downs rising toward the south.

Map of the Borough of Swindon and major settlements Borough of swindon - urban areas with names.png
Map of the Borough of Swindon and major settlements

The borough encompasses the Swindon urban area and surrounding countryside to the north, east and south, including the town of Highworth. It comprises the former Swindon Municipal Borough and a further 18 civil parishes: [10] [11]

Since 1 April 2017 the entire Borough has been parished, following the establishment of West Swindon parish and the creation of Central Swindon North and Central Swindon South [11] (styled by its parish council as South Swindon). [12] [13] The two Central parishes fall within the boundaries of the town and former municipal borough, divided along the Great Western Main Line railway.

At the same time:

Swindon Borough Council

The council follows a leader and cabinet model [14] and has 57 members elected by 20 wards. [15] Elections are held in three out of every four years, with one-third of the seats being elected at each election. [15] From the first election in 1996 to the 2000 election, Labour had a majority on the council. Following a period where no party had a majority, the Conservatives gained a majority at the 2003 election and had control until the 2023 election, when Labour took control.

Wards

Other elections

The borough is divided into three Parliamentary constituencies. Swindon North and Swindon South are wholly within the boundaries of the borough of Swindon, while East Wiltshire includes the Swindon borough council wards of Wroughton & Wichelstowe and Ridgeway, and the parish of Chiseldon. [16] Swindon North and Swindon South are seen as key marginal seats at general elections, having been bellwether seats since 1997 when their predecessor constituencies were created; currently both seats are held by the Labour Party. East Wiltshire is currently held by the Conservative Party.

The borough was one of the first areas to declare in the 2016 European Union membership referendum. 61,745 (54.3%) voters supported leaving the European Union, whilst 51,220 (45.7%) wished to remain.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swindon</span> Town in Wiltshire, England

Swindon is a town in Wiltshire, England. At the time of the 2021 Census the population of the built-up area was 183,638, making it the largest settlement in the county. Located in South West England, Swindon lies on the M4 corridor, 71 miles (114km) to the west of London and 36 miles to the east of Bristol. The Cotswolds lie just to the town's north and the North Wessex Downs to its south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wroughton</span> Human settlement in England

Wroughton is a large village and civil parish in northeast Wiltshire, England. It is part of the Borough of Swindon and lies along the A4361 between Swindon and Avebury; the road into Swindon crosses the M4 motorway between junctions 15 and 16. The village is about 2.2 miles (3.5 km) south of Swindon town centre on the edge of the Marlborough Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town of Marlborough is about 11 miles (18 km) to the south, and the World Heritage Site at Avebury is about 7 miles (11 km) to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blunsdon</span> Civil parish in Wiltshire, England

Blunsdon is a civil parish in the Borough of Swindon, in Wiltshire, England, about 4 miles (6 km) north of the centre of Swindon, with the A419 forming its southern boundary. Its main settlement is the village of Broad Blunsdon, with Lower Blunsdon nearby; the hamlet of Broadbush is now contiguous with Broad Blunsdon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devizes (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliament constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–2024

Devizes was a constituency in Wiltshire, England, which included four towns and many villages in the middle and east of the county. The seat was held by members of the Conservative Party continuously for a century from 1924.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swindon North (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997 onwards

Swindon North is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Will Stone, a Labour politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swindon South (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997 onwards

Swindon South is a constituency in the Borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Heidi Alexander of the Labour Party. Alexander had previously been MP for Lewisham East from 2010 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stratton St Margaret</span> Civil parish in Wiltshire, England

Stratton St Margaret is a civil parish in the Borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The parish covers north-eastern suburbs of Swindon including Stratton St Margaret itself, along with Upper Stratton, Lower Stratton and Kingsdown.

The history of local government in Swindon has its origins in the Middle Ages. After a long period of very little change, there followed a new era, beginning in the 19th century, of constant redevelopment and re-adjustment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swindon Borough Council</span>

Swindon Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Swindon in the ceremonial county of Wiltshire, England. It was founded in 1974 as Thamesdown Borough Council, and was a lower-tier district council until 1997. In 1997 it was renamed Swindon Borough Council and became a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council; it is independent from Wiltshire Council, the unitary authority which administers the rest of the county.

Swindon Borough Council is the local authority for the unitary authority of Swindon in Wiltshire, England. Until 1 April 1997 its area was a non-metropolitan district called Thamesdown Borough Council, with Wiltshire County Council providing the county-level services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wichelstowe</span> Human settlement in England

Wichelstowe is a residential development and urban extension on the southern edge of the town of Swindon in South West England, constructed from late 2006. Located north of the M4 motorway between junction 16 and Croft Road, Wichelstowe has three neighbourhoods: East, Middle and West Wichel. The development will comprise up to 4500 homes, employment space, public open space, shopping, community facilities for residents and various schools. In 2014 it was described as the country's largest housing project on public-owned land.

Dorcan is an area in the east of Swindon, Wiltshire, England, located close to the A419.

Nythe, Eldene and Liden is a civil parish in the eastern suburbs of the town of Swindon, England. In addition to the residential areas of Nythe, Eldene and Liden, the parish has the Dorcan industrial area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Swindon Borough Council election</span>

The 2018 Swindon Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2018, to elect members of Swindon Borough Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Wiltshire (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2024 onwards

East Wiltshire is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it was first contested at the 2024 general election, when it was won by the Conservative Danny Kruger, who had previously represented the abolished Devizes constituency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Swindon (parish)</span> Human settlement in England

South Swindon, formerly Central Swindon South, is a civil parish in the town of Swindon, in the ceremonial county of Wiltshire, England. The parish covers the southern part of the central area of the town, including the Old Town area, and extends south to take in Wichelstowe and Coate Water. In 2021 it had a population of 62,871.

Highworth Rural District was a rural district in the county of Wiltshire, England. It lay to the north and east of the town and municipal borough of Swindon.

References

  1. 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Swindon Local Authority (E06000030)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics . Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Swindon Municipal Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  3. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 27 April 2023
  4. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 27 April 2023
  5. ↑ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . 28 March 1974. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  6. ↑ "The Wiltshire (Borough of Thamesdown)(Structural Change) Order 1995", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1995/1774, retrieved 27 April 2023
  7. ↑ "Historical information from 1973 onwards". Boundary-Line support. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  8. ↑ "Thamesdown Transport". Archived from the original on 5 February 2017.
  9. ↑ "Lieutenancies Act 1997", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1997 c. 23, retrieved 26 April 2023
  10. ↑ "Community governance review - next steps". swindon.gov.uk. Swindon Borough Council. March 2017. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017.
  11. 1 2 "The Swindon Borough (Reorganisation of Community Governance) No. 1 Order 2017" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for England. 19 January 2017. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "South Swindon Parish Council". southswindon-pc.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  13. ↑ Seaward, Tom (1 November 2017). "South Swindon Parish Council responds to name change block". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  14. ↑ "Cabinet and administration". Swindon Borough Council. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  15. 1 2 "How to become a councillor". Swindon Borough Council. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  16. ↑ "Election Maps: Great Britain". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
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