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The history of local government in
Swindon Swindon () is a town in Wiltshire, England. At the time of the 2021 Census the population of the built-up area was 183,638, making it the largest settlement in the county. Located at the northeastern edge of the South West England region, Swi ...
has its origins in the Middle Ages. After a long period of very little change, there followed a new era, beginning in the 19th century, of constant redevelopment and re-adjustment.


Parliamentary representation

The first recorded Members of Parliament in Swindon's history are John Ildhelfe and Richard Pernaunt. In 1295 they were elected into the
Model Parliament The Model Parliament was the 1295 Parliament of England of Edward I of England, King Edward I. Its composition became the model for later parliaments. History The term ''Model Parliament'' was coined by William Stubbs (1825-1901) and later use ...
of
King Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 1254 ...
. Others noted are Richard Neel (the 43rd parliament of Edward I in 1304) and
Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...
and Robert Crekkelade ( Henry VI's first parliament in 1422). Swindon became part of the constituency of Cricklade in 1660, the constituency later being represented by
lords of the manor Lord of the manor is a title that, in Anglo-Saxon England and Norman England, referred to the landholder of a historical rural estate. The titles date to the English Feudalism, feudal (specifically English feudal barony, baronial) system. The ...
, members of the
Goddard family The Goddard family were a prominent landed gentry, landed family chiefly living in the northern regions of the English counties of Wiltshire and Hampshire and the western part of Berkshire, between the Tudor period and the early 20th century. ...
, and also
Daniel Gooch Sir Daniel Gooch, 1st Baronet (24 August 1816 – 15 October 1889) was an English railway locomotive and transatlantic cable engineer. He was the first Locomotive Superintendent, Superintendent of Locomotive Engines on the Great Western Ra ...
of the Great Western Works. In 1918, the parliamentary constituency of Cricklade was abolished and the Swindon constituency was formed. In 1997, the parliamentary constituency of Swindon was divided into
North Swindon Swindon North is a List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies, constituency represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, UK Parliament since 2024 by Will Stone, a Labo ...
and South Swindon, each with one member of parliament.


Parliamentary constituencies

*
Cricklade (UK Parliament constituency) Cricklade was a parliamentary constituency named after the town of Cricklade in Wiltshire. From 1295 until 1885 United Kingdom general election, the general election of 1885, Cricklade was a parliamentary borough, returning two members of par ...
1660–1918 *
Swindon (UK Parliament constituency) Swindon was a United Kingdom constituencies, parliamentary constituency in the town of Swindon in Wiltshire, England. It returned one Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdo ...
1918–1997 *
North Swindon (UK Parliament constituency) Swindon North is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Will Stone, a Labour politician. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was formally ...
1997–present *
South Swindon (UK Parliament constituency) Swindon South is a constituency in the Borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Heidi Alexander of the Labour Party. Alexander had previously been MP for Lewisham East from 2010 t ...
1997–present


Local government

From the 16th century to the 17th, Swindon was governed by a
vestry A vestry was a committee for the local secular and ecclesiastical government of a parish in England, Wales and some English colony, English colonies. At their height, the vestries were the only form of local government in many places and spen ...
– men who were elected from qualifying residents of means. They were mostly responsible for the work of the parish officers, financial matters affecting the church and the
poor relief In English and British history, poor relief refers to government and ecclesiastical action to relieve poverty. Over the centuries, various authorities have needed to decide whose poverty deserves relief and also who should bear the cost of hel ...
. In 1849, Old Swindon petitioned unsuccessfully to be given a Local Board under the
Public Health Act 1848 A local board of health (or simply a ''local board'') was a local authority in urban areas of England and Wales from 1848 to 1894. They were formed in response to cholera epidemics and were given powers to control sewers, clean the streets, regulat ...
( 11 & 12 Vict. c. 63), but the town remained a
civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
for a further fifteen years. In 1864, following the possibility of Swindon and
Highworth Highworth is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Swindon, England, about north-east of Swindon town centre. The 2021 Census recorded a population of 8,258. The town is notable for its Queen Anne and Georgian buildings, dating ...
being merged, the
Local Government Act 1858 A local board of health (or simply a ''local board'') was a local authority in urban areas of England and Wales from 1848 to 1894. They were formed in response to cholera epidemics and were given powers to control sewers, clean the streets, regulat ...
was applied to both New and Old Swindon, with each area setting up its own local administration. The New Swindon Local Board held its first meeting on 27 April 1864 at the
Mechanics' Institute Mechanics' institutes, also known as mechanics' institutions, sometimes simply known as institutes, and also called schools of arts (especially in the Australian colonies), were educational establishments originally formed to provide adult edu ...
, with the GWR's William Frederick Gooch as chairman. The Old Swindon Local Board met for the first time on 10 August 1865 at the
Town Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
, Old Swindon, with a grocer, Phillip Hawe Mason, as chairman. In 1889,
Wiltshire County Council Wiltshire Council, known between 1889 and 2009 as Wiltshire County Council, is the local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Wiltshire in South West England, and has its headquarters at County Hall in Trowbridge. Since 2009 it has bee ...
had been formed to take responsibility for several strategic local government services in the whole of
Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to ...
. Swindon came under its authority at this level for more than a hundred years, until the creation of its own
unitary authority A unitary authority is a type of local government, local authority in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Unitary authorities are responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are ...
in 1997. Until then, it was represented in the county council by several county councillors. One of these, John Lindow Calderwood, was chairman of the county council from 1949 to 1960. The local boards remained in existence until 1894, when they were both converted into
Urban District An urban district is a division generally managed by a local government. It may also refer to a city district, district, urban area or quarter Specific urban districts in some countries include: * Urban districts of Denmark * Districts of Germa ...
Councils. In 1900 the Swindon New Town and Old Swindon urban districts were merged, to form a single
municipal borough A municipal borough was a type of local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of ...
of
Swindon Swindon () is a town in Wiltshire, England. At the time of the 2021 Census the population of the built-up area was 183,638, making it the largest settlement in the county. Located at the northeastern edge of the South West England region, Swi ...
. On 1 April 1974, the
Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...
created a
non-metropolitan district Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially "shire districts", are a type of Districts of England, local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties (colloquially ''s ...
of Thamesdown, consisting of
Swindon Swindon () is a town in Wiltshire, England. At the time of the 2021 Census the population of the built-up area was 183,638, making it the largest settlement in the county. Located at the northeastern edge of the South West England region, Swi ...
along with the former
Highworth Rural District Highworth Rural District was a rural district in the county of Wiltshire, England. It lay to the north and east of the town and municipal borough of Swindon. Following the Local Government Act 1972, on 1 April 1974 the district was merged wit ...
. The name alludes to the two natural boundaries of the region, the River Thames to the north and the Wiltshire and Marlborough Downs to the south. The name itself was described as "absurd and universally unpopular". On 1 April 1997, Thamesdown became a unitary authority independent of Wiltshire County Council, following a review by the Local Government Commission for England. The resulting new authority was renamed the
Borough of Swindon The Borough of Swindon is a unitary authority area with borough status in Wiltshire, England. Centred on Swindon, it is the most north-easterly district of South West England. History The first borough of Swindon was a municipal borough, ...
soon afterwards, but the name 'Thamesdown' is still used for some purposes. The local bus company was called
Thamesdown Transport Swindon's Bus Company (formerly Thamesdown Transport) is a bus operator in England, serving Swindon and the surrounding area. Previously owned by Swindon Borough Council, ownership passed to the Go-Ahead Group in February 2017 and the operation ...
until its sale by the Council in February 2017 to the
Go-Ahead Group Go-Ahead Group Limited is a Multinational corporation, multi-national transport group based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. While the majority of its operations are within Great Britain, it also operates services in Ireland, Australia, Singapo ...
.


David Murray John

David Murray John
OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
became Swindon town clerk in 1937, and later was the architect of the town's post-war growth. He engendered diversity of jobs in Swindon so that the town would not rely solely on the railway for employment. After the
Town Development Act 1952 The New Towns Acts were a series of Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to found new settlements or to expand substantially existing ones, to establish Development Corporations to deliver them, and to create a Commission to wind up the C ...
was passed, the council was able to make a persuasive case for Swindon as an overspill district, ideally suited to accommodate a good number of London's jobless. The Act provided for rehousing subsidies,
compulsory purchase Compulsion, Compulsive, Compelling, or Compulsory may refer to: Psychology * Compulsive behavior, a psychological condition in which a person does a behavior compulsively, having an overwhelming feeling that they must do so. * Obsessive–compu ...
of land and financial assistance from governments to provide local amenities and services. With negotiations successful between Swindon Council,
London County Council The London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today ...
and the Borough of Tottenham, Murray John and his officers proceeded with a series of diversifications that eventually expanded the town's industrial base and helped the local economy, while increasing the stock of available
council housing Public housing in the United Kingdom, also known as council housing or social housing, provided the majority of rented accommodation until 2011, when the number of households in private rental housing surpassed the number in social housing. D ...
. The companies of
Plessey The Plessey Company plc was a British electronics, defence and telecommunications company. It originated in 1917, growing and diversifying into electronics. It expanded after World War II by acquisition of companies and formed overseas compani ...
and
Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 18 ...
assisted by agreeing to employ over 1,500 of those moving to Swindon; the Council funded the creation of
industrial estate An industrial park, also known as industrial estate or trading estate, is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. An industrial park can be thought of as a more heavyweight version of a business park or office par ...
s and housing developments. In the period 1951–1981, Swindon's population grew by 70 percent, "some 58 per cent higher than the national average over the same period". In the 1980s, Swindon became the fastest growing town in Europe. Murray John died in 1974 and is honoured in the name of the David Murray John Tower in the centre of Swindon. Built in 1976, it rises to a height of 83 metres (272 ft) and is the tallest building in the town.


Civil parishes

The former municipal borough was unparished. An Order effective April 2017 created the
civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
es of
Central Swindon North Central Swindon North is a civil parish in the borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. History The parish of Central Swindon North was created in 2017, alongside Central Swindon South (later renamed to South Swindon). In 2022, the council o ...
and Central Swindon South, the boundary between them being the Great Western main line. The parish council of the latter parish styled itself as Swindon South Parish Council, and in 2023 officially changed its name.


City status

In 1993 Swindon Borough Council and the Swindon
Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to a ...
unveiled a joint public relations venture "Swindon – City for the 21st Century" to raise awareness of the town and gauge public opinion for a potential bid for
city status City status is a symbolic and legal designation given by a monarch, national or subnational government. A municipality may receive city status because it already has the qualities of a city, or because it has some special purpose. Historically, ci ...
. The partnership mounted an exhibition in London but the project stalled. By the 1990s, Swindon had become one of the most important centres along the
M4 Corridor The M4 corridor is an area in the United Kingdom adjacent to the M4 motorway, which runs from London to South Wales. It is a major hi-tech hub. Important cities and towns linked by the M4 include (from east to west) London, Slough, Bracknell, M ...
. During this period the town continued to attract new, predominantly hi-tech, companies to the town and encouraged relocation. However the town's infrastructure and amenities did not develop to the same level. The borough council made formal bids for city status in 1999 and 2002 but both were unsuccessful. To overcome the problems raised at the failed city bids, the town council invited an Urban Regeneration Company into the town to oversee the
blueprint A blueprint is a reproduction of a technical drawing or engineering drawing using a contact print process on light-sensitive sheets introduced by Sir John Herschel in 1842. The process allowed rapid and accurate production of an unlimited number ...
for revitalising much of the
town centre A town centre is the commerce, commercial or geographical centre or core area of a town. Town centres are traditionally associated with shopping or retail. They are also the centre of communications with major public transport hubs such as train ...
.


References

{{Reflist


See also

*
History of local government in the United Kingdom The history of local government in the United Kingdom covers the development of local government in the United Kingdom since its formation in 1707.Swindon Town Hall * History of Swindon
Local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such a ...
Swindon Swindon () is a town in Wiltshire, England. At the time of the 2021 Census the population of the built-up area was 183,638, making it the largest settlement in the county. Located at the northeastern edge of the South West England region, Swi ...
Swindon Swindon () is a town in Wiltshire, England. At the time of the 2021 Census the population of the built-up area was 183,638, making it the largest settlement in the county. Located at the northeastern edge of the South West England region, Swi ...
Swindon Swindon () is a town in Wiltshire, England. At the time of the 2021 Census the population of the built-up area was 183,638, making it the largest settlement in the county. Located at the northeastern edge of the South West England region, Swi ...