Plenty of challenges but also hope for Swindon's future

Swindon Borough Council Leader Cllr Jim Robbins writes for Swindon Link.

As is traditional at this time of year, it is good to look forward in January at what you want to achieve through the year, but first I want to thank residents for an unbelievable 2023! 

Taking over the council has been a huge honour and privilege, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience, as have the Labour group. It was really humbling to win such support in May. 

That said, it certainly hasn’t been easy; taking over a council with an eye-watering debt, further cuts to make, low staff morale, a poor reputation with the public, having to deliver the Conservatives' changes to the waste and recycling service and most concerning of all, an inadequate Childrens’ Services department, and all done in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. 

I hope that you feel that we have made steady improvements, such as getting Ofsted to agree to our plan to get Childrens’ Services back on track, adopting the Better Swindon principles to demonstrate our commitment to genuine feedback, approving plans for vital new youth facilities in the town, finally getting some roadworks projects delivered on time and on budget, building staff morale, getting a deal agreed to reopen the Oasis, helping save the Swindon Wildcats by getting the Link Centre back open ahead of schedule and more. 

There is, of course, lots more to be done, such as transforming how the council works to safeguard its financial future, delivering the policies that will help us achieve our goals of reducing inequality, building a better Swindon and achieving Net Zero.

That is why we were so proud to bring forward the first draft of the Swindon Plan in December, and through January we will be holding a series of public sessions to get your feedback and input on the plan to make sure that it is owned and agreed by the residents of Swindon.  

We will launching an exciting new online platform – Let’s talk Swindon - to host some of these conversations and get your engagement on how we develop the town.

Following that in May, we will be back out on the campaign trail, seeking your vote to help us build on the work that we have started and to be able to implement the plan we will have developed for the town together.  

We may have the General Election at the same time, and we will be fighting hard to get two Labour MPs elected and for a Labour Government who can deliver the change and regeneration that both the town and the country desperately need.

We look forward to thousands more conversations with residents on the doorstep over the next year, to get your feedback on how we can build the better Swindon we all want to see and give the town its future back.