Swindon Borough Council

Last updated

Swindon Borough Council
Swindon Borough Council.svg
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
Samantha Mowbray
Structure
Seats57 councillors
Swindon Borough Council composition 2024 correct.png
Political groups
Administration (41)
  Labour (41)
Other parties (16)
  Liberal Democrats (1)
  Conservative (15)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
Plurality-at-large
Last election
2 May 2024
Next election
7 May 2026
Meeting place
Euclid street civic offices swindon.jpg
Civic Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JH
Website
www.swindon.gov.uk OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

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.

Contents

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
Labour 1974–1976
No overall control 1976–1978
Labour 1978–1997

Swindon Borough Council (unitary authority)

Party in controlYears
Labour 1997–2000
No overall control 2000–2004
Conservative 2004–2023
Labour 2023present

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 Labour 1998
Maurice Fanning Labour 19981999
Sue Bates Labour 199927 Sep 2001
Mike Bawden Conservative 11 Oct 200117 May 2002
Sue Bates Labour 17 May 200221 Aug 2002
Kevin Small Labour 21 Aug 200216 May 2003
Mike Bawden Conservative 16 May 200319 May 2006
Roderick Bluh Conservative 19 May 200611 Apr 2013
David Renard Conservative 11 Apr 20137 May 2023
Jim Robbins Labour 19 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was: [7]

PartyCouncillors
Labour 41
Conservative 15
Liberal Democrats 1
Total57

The next elections are due in May 2026.

Premises

The council is based at the Civic Offices on Euclid Street in Swindon. [8] 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. [9]

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. [10] The next election, in which every councillor will stand, is in May, 2026.

Wards and councillors

Parliamentary constituencyWardCouncillorPartyTerm of office
North Swindon Blunsdon and Highworth Steve Weisinger Conservative 2022–26
Nick Gardiner Conservative 2023–26
Vijay Manro Conservative 2024–26
Gorse Hill and PinehurstCarol Shelley Labour 2022–26
John Ballman Labour 2023-26
Princia Fernandes Labour 2024–26
Haydon Wick Matt Lodge Labour 2022–26
Stanka Adamcova Labour 2023-26
Ray Ballman Labour 2024-26
Penhill and Upper Stratton Claire Crilly Labour 2022–26
Ravi Ventakesh Labour 2023-26
Thomas Smith Labour 2024-26
Priory Vale Rob Heath Labour 2022–26
Rajhia Ali Labour 2023-26
Ian Edwards Labour 2024-26
Rodbourne Cheney William Stone Labour 2022–26
Jim Grant Labour 2023-26
Ana Fernandes Labour 2024-26
St AndrewsJake Chandler Conservative 2022–26
Jason Mills Labour 2023-26
Daniel Adams Conservative 2024–26
St Margaret and South Marston Matthew Vallender Conservative 2022–26
Tom Butcher Labour 2023-26
Simon Shelley Labour 2024-26
Both constituencies Covingham and Dorcan Kevin Parry Conservative 2022-26
Dale Heenan Conservative 2023-26
Barbara Parry Conservative 2024-26
Mannington and WesternJim Robbins Labour 2022–26
Fay Howard Labour 2023-26
Kevin Small Labour 2024-26
South Swindon CentralAnabelle Pegado Conservative 2022–26
Adorabelle Amaral-Shaikh Labour 2023-26
Domingos Dias Labour 2024-26
Chiseldon and LawnLawrence Elliott Conservative 2022–26
Neil Hopkins Labour 2023-26
EastcottImtiyaz Shaikh Labour 2022–26
Paul Dixon Labour 2023-26
Marina Strinkovsky Labour 2024-26
Liden, Eldene and Park SouthJanine Howarth Labour 2022–26
Mike Davies Labour 2023-26
Marianne Le Coyte-Grinney Labour 2024-26
Lydiard and Freshbrook Sean Wilson Labour 2022–26
Repi Begum Labour 2023-26
Leon Grother Labour 2024-26
Old TownNadine Watts Labour 2022–26
Chris Watts Labour 2023-26
Jane Milner-Barry Labour 2024-26
RidgewayGary Sumner Conservative 2024-26
ShawSuresha Gattapur Conservative 2022–26
Junab Ali Labour 2023-26
Rose Llewellyn Labour 2024-26
Walcot and Park NorthAbdul Amin Labour 2022–26
Emma Bushell Labour 2023-26
Mohammed Miah Labour 2024-26
Wroughton and Wichelstowe Adam Poole Liberal Democrats 2023-26
Elaine Cook Conservative 2024-26
Matty Courtliff Conservative 2024-26

Notes

  1. Borough council gained unitary authority functions.

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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. "Borough election results". Swindon Borough Council.
  8. "Contacting us". Swindon Borough Council. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  9. "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.
  10. "Swindon Borough Council votes for election every four years". BBC News. 13 October 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2024.