Council leader David Renard is unlikely to bid for city status for Swindon
Swindon is not likely to be one of the next towns granted city status by the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee next year. A competition has been launched by the government with the prize being the creation of the first new cities in the UK for a decade. The last towns to be converted to cities by the granting of a royal charter were Chelmsford, Perth and St Asaph in 2012 to mark Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee. But although Swindon is one of the biggest towns in the country – and bigger than many cities like Bath and Oxford and Gloucester – it is unlikely the borough council under the current Conservative administration will try and win the accolade.
Councillor Tim Swinyard SWINDON S new Conservative cabinet has two new members and one entirely new post – a representative for levelling up. After a successful local election and winning a leadership challenge this week, council leader David Renard has made something of a reshuffle. His former deputy Russell Holland – who challenged him for the top job – leaves the cabinet. His responsibilities for finance go to Keith Williams, who retains his role as the cabinet member for climate change. Education and skills are part of the levelling up portfolio given to new cabinet member Tim Swinyard. Coun Swinyard’s job includes: “Improving living standards across the borough; setting direction to enable Swindon has the range of vocational and higher education opportunities necessary to meet the future needs of employers; political leadership through the Swindon Challenge Board in raising school attainment and work with the lead members for strategic planning and ho
David Renard is looking forward to leading Swindon Borough Council for at least another year. After winning the elections for Swindon Borough Council on Friday, Coun Renard also won a renewed mandate from his councillors. He had been challenged for the top job by his deputy leader and cabinet member for finance Russell Holland. And Coun Renard says he believes Swindon is in a good place to be ready to move forward. But first he made the point that while elections feel like a punctuation point, the work of the council never stops. He said: “It can feel like the cycle has finished, then you have an election, then it all starts again – but actually all the old jobs of the council need to carry on, so it feels less like that to me.”
Stan Pajak Some familiar faces on the Swindon local political scene have left the stage – some by choice, others by the choice of the voters. Long-serving councillors such as Bob Wright, Fay Howard and Vera Tomlinson all ended their service with an extra year. They have finally retired from their ward duties along with Maureen Penny, who was cabinet member for highways and waste services until the local elections. Liberal Democrats leader Stan Pajak, whose time as a councillor in Swindon dates back to the 1990s, lost his seat in Eastcott to Labour by just 44 votes. His departure also means there is no Lib Dem representation in Swindon for the first time in decades.
But he has a new deputy leader. The 36-strong group of Conservative councillors had two decisions to make just three days after a stunning election in last week. The group elects its leaders every year- Coun Renard had already put his name forward to continue for a ninth year – but former deputy leader Russell Holland was also standing for the top job. Coun Holland was standing on a joint ticket with fellow cabinet member Gary Sumner who stood for deputy leader. His opponent was Dale Heenan, another member of Coun Renard’s cabinet. Coun Renard and then Coun Sumner were elected.