Following a borough-wide engagement exercise held in early 2024, the council has produced a final version of the Swindon Plan (PDF) that sets out its long-term priorities to improve the quality of life for all of the Borough’s residents.
In July 2024, the plan was approved at Cabinet (17 July) and is being tabled for discussion at Full Council (25 July).
It sets out three priority missions for the next decade to build a ‘fairer’, ‘better’ and ‘greener’ Swindon:
Build a Fairer Swindon - Making Swindon a fairer place, reducing disadvantages and reducing big disparities in life expectancy, education levels and social justice.
Build a Better Swindon - Creating a town ready for the challenges of the coming decades. Where possible, leading town centre improvement and creating more affordable housing with the private sector
Build a Greener Swindon - Fully playing our part as a council and a town in combatting climate change. Working with communities to find new ways of doing things that help, not hinder, the natural environment.
Acknowledging the ongoing financial pressures on public finances, the Swindon Plan (PDF) sets out how the Council is looking to progress each mission working with communities and partners across the private, public and voluntary sectors.
In the video below, several Swindon residents share their reaction to some of the things that we’re looking to progress:
The Swindon Plan sets out what we are looking to achieve for each mission. Each mission covers a number of themes, under which sit objectives.
An accompanying performance framework (PDF) sets out the action we will take to progress each objective over the next three years and how we will measure progress.
Theme 1
Stronger and safer communities
Objectives
Increase engagement and enable community participation
An inclusive and fair Swindon
Delivering safer communities through partnership working
Theme 2
Improve health and wellbeing
Objectives
Improve children’s health
Promote independent living
Improve mental health and wellbeing
Theme 3
Improve education and skills
Objectives
A range of accessible learning
Ensuring a quality education
Improving employability and skills
Theme 1
Support everyone to have a decent home
Objectives
Local homes for care experienced children
Enabling sufficient and quality homes
Preventing homelessness
Theme 2
Swindon is a place where business can thrive
Objectives
Building community wealth
Support businesses to invest and grow
Theme 3
Define the future of our town centre
Objectives
A vision for the heart of Swindon
Theme 4
Protect Swindon’s heritage, leisure and open spaces
Objectives
Vibrant and accessible heritage, arts and culture
Support future provision of leisure
Maintained and accessible parks and open spaces
Theme 5
Keep Swindon moving
Objectives
Efficient use of funding to maintain roads and pavements
Promote and enhance active travel
Provide a sufficient and accessible highway network
Theme 1
Leading the way towards a net zero borough by 2050
Objectives
Engage with residents and businesses to deliver a greener Swindon
Theme 2
Cleaner planning and transport
Objectives
Enable a lower carbon Swindon through planning and travel
Theme 3
Protect the environment
Objectives
Resilience to severe weather and climate change impacts
Protect and enhance biodiversity
Theme 4
Keep on track for a net zero Council
Objectives
Reduce carbon from council assets
Transitioning our fleet and depot to net-zero carbon operations
Optimising waste management and recycling initiatives
