Swindon Borough Council Leader refutes Farage accusations about town

The Leader of Swindon Borough Council has strongly refuted accusations of maladministration by Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage.

Mr Farage made his claims ahead of a party rally this evening at MECA Swindon.
However, Swindon Borough Council Leader Cllr Jim Robbins has rejected the claims.
The Reform UK Leader said: "Britain is broken.
"As someone who loves their country, that is not something I say lightly. But it is undoubtedly true.
"Of all the complaints I’ve heard travelling from town to town over the past 18 months, there is one phrase I hear over and over: Nothing seems to work anymore.
"Nowhere is that sentiment felt more strongly than at local council level.
"Just look around you: Bins are overflowing, schools are struggling and our roads are pockmarked with potholes.
"Meanwhile, our neighbourhoods are over-run with crime. Yet despite all this, council tax bills continue to go up.
"In Swindon, council tax has increased by over 25 per cent in the past five years. It's not hard to see why.
"Swindon’s CEO earns over £179,000 a year - that’s £10,000 more than the Prime Minister - to oversee this mess. That’s along with another nine members of staff on salaries of over £100,000.
"Thanks to Labour’s maladministration, Swindon has run up £400 million worth of debt. That’s costing over £14 million a year just in interest - the equivalent of £40,000 a day.
"In order to avoid total bankruptcy, the council had to apply for Exceptional Financial Support.
"If that wasn’t bad enough, it managed to waste £440,000 on contractors to guard an empty road.
"And just look at the state of the roads. By our calculations, there are roughly 18 potholes for every mile of road around Swindon.
"Violent crime is everywhere -  there were over 6,000 incidents in Swindon over the past year.
"It really doesn't have to be this way.
"Last year, Reform UK won hundreds of council seats and already we’re seeing the positive impact the party is having in those areas.
"Which is why I am embarking on a national tour to let voters know how you can fix this country.
"Because we can't do this without you. We urgently need your help.
"Just remember: Labour, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems tried to stop these local elections happening.

"They wanted them cancelled because they know that voters are desperate to give them a kicking.
"So now is your chance to do so.
"Let’s send Starmer and the rest of the Westminster establishment a clear message.
"The turquoise tsunami is coming."
In an extensive response, Cllr Robbins said: "It’s easy to turn up in a town, talk it down and charge people £5 to hear you do it! Leadership means doing the work!
"Like every town, we face challenges. Roads need repair, town centres need investment and councils everywhere are under pressure after years of Tory under funding and rising demand for services like social care. But the picture being painted of Swindon simply isn’t the reality people see every day.
"The truth is that this council is delivering.
"We are fixing thousands of potholes, with more than 4,000 repaired in just the first two months of this year despite record rainfall across the South West. Our waste crews make more than 10 million collections every year, keeping services running for residents across the borough.
"Crime is not spiralling out of control as some claim. Swindon remains one of the safest places to live in the country, with Wiltshire Police recording one of the lowest overall crime rates nationally.
"Our schools are strong too. Every secondary school in Swindon is rated Good by Ofsted, and our primary schools continue to achieve high attainment and improving standards.
"But leadership isn’t just about defending what we have — it’s about building for the future. And that is exactly what we are doing.
"We have opened The Base, a £3.8 million youth centre designed with young people, providing creative space, skills support and daily activities.
"We have delivered the £6.3 million Moredon Sporting Hub, a new multi-sport facility completed on time and on budget for local families.
"Major regeneration is moving forward in the town centre through the Heart of Swindon programme, with projects like Knowledge Central, Kimmerfields, the Carriage Works and the restored Health Hydro helping bring new businesses, new investment and new life back into the town.
"Swindon is also strengthening its reputation as a centre for advanced manufacturing, with major new investment in drone production and high-tech industry expected to create more than 1,400 jobs in the coming years.
"At the same time we are tackling the issues residents raise most often.
"We have doubled traffic wardens and are installing ANPR cameras to address speeding and dangerous parking.
"We have launched a dedicated fly-tipping team issuing fines to protect neighbourhoods.
"Anti-social behaviour is already down by more than 18% in areas where wardens operate.
"A new anti-graffiti team is improving our streets while supporting community art and events like Swindon Paint Fest.
"And we are not stopping there.
"If re-elected, we will install more ANPR cameras, introduce anti-social behaviour wardens in every community, increase fines for fly-tipping to £1,000, invest further in roads and pavements using record government funding, and open new community hubs and Sure Start centres to bring services closer to residents.
"Swindon is not broken.
"It is a town with enormous strengths, proud communities and huge potential. The progress we are making is real, visible and building momentum.
"Our focus is simple: keep investing, keep improving services and keep working with residents to build a fairer, greener and better Swindon.
"The job is not finished — but we are getting on with it."