Swindon Borough Council has been commended for its significant strides towards openness and collaboration by the Local Government Association (LGA), which recently conducted a ‘Corporate Peer Challenge’ in September 2024. This initiative saw senior councillors and officers from other authorities join a four-day assessment, engaging with local residents, council staff, and partners.
The LGA’s final report, which will be presented to the Council’s Cabinet on 13th November, described the cultural transformation within the Council over the past year as a “sea change.” Highlighting the leadership’s efforts, the report notes: “It is evident that the new leadership team – both members and officers – have prioritised resetting the organisational culture… with those we spoke with describing an open, transparent, and collaborative organisation.”
Key to this change has been proactive community engagement. The ‘Let’s talk Swindon’ events held earlier this year were singled out as examples of the Council’s improved outreach, gaining positive feedback from residents, businesses, and local partners.
The report also recognised the Council’s “self-awareness and transparency” as it addresses financial challenges and continues to work on service enhancements. Recommendations have been made to aid the Council’s ongoing improvement efforts, with an action plan set to be reviewed at the December Cabinet meeting. A follow-up visit by the LGA is scheduled for July 2025 to assess further progress.
Additionally, findings from the 2024 Swindon Resident Survey, to be reviewed this month, indicate growing satisfaction with the Council’s performance. Nearly 4,500 residents responded, noting increased trust, better value for money, and more effective responses to community concerns. The results will be discussed at three more ‘Let’s talk Swindon’ sessions, hosted by Councillor Jim Robbins, Council Leader, and Chief Executive Sam Mowbray.
Improvements have also been recorded internally, as shown in the 2024 Swindon Colleague Survey. A significant 10 per cent increase was noted in the number of colleagues who feel that people from diverse backgrounds can thrive at the Council. This builds on positive momentum recognised through three Ofsted monitoring visits, which acknowledged progress in support services for families, children, and young people.
Councillor Jim Robbins commented: “This administration remains committed to building on the progress achieved over the past 16 months. It is encouraging to see our efforts being recognised not only by the LGA but also by our residents and staff. The feedback we’ve received is vital in shaping how we move forward together.”
