Fifteen years of economic co-operation could be at an end
Swindon and Wiltshire are going separate ways in devolution plans
Fifteen years of co-operation between Swindon and Wiltshire could be at an end, with the local authorities responsible for economic growth beating very different paths.
While Wiltshire Council is pursuing a ‘devolution’ deal with the largely rural counties to its south, Swindon is keen to hitch its wagon to the high-tech post-industrial powerhouse of the Thames Valley.
Wiltshire – whose economy was estimated to be £14.4 billion in 2022 – had hoped that Swindon – worth £11.4 billion in the same year – would join it as part of the Wessex Partnership, which it is forming with Dorset, Somerset, and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
But Swindon would prefer to look eastwards along the M4 – or the Great Western Main Line – with Oxford (£7.3 billion) and Reading (£9.4 billion).
In 2023 the Thames Valley was identified as the fastest-growing regional economy in the UK outside of London, and was described as a ‘turbo economy’ by government.
The first victim of the new devolution ambitions is the Swindon and Wiltshire Business and Growth Unit, which has closed just a year after its first meeting.
Swindon and Wiltshire Business and Growth Unit was formed in November 2024 after Conservative chancellor Jeremy Hunt scrapped Local Enterprise Partnerships – including Swindon & Wiltshire LEP – in his 2023 Spring Budget, handing responsibility for economic growth back to local councils.
Swindon & Wiltshire LEP had been established in by the coalition government in 2011. Its board was made up of councillors from both authorities, but LEPs were always intended to be ‘business led,’ with industrialists including Paul Moorby of car parking software firm Chipside and Paul Johnson of engineering giant Knorr-Bremse leading the board.
The LEP took a lead role in supporting Salisbury’s business community following the Novichok attack in 2018 and in Swindon following Honda’s announcement that it was closing its manufacturing base.
The LEP also attracted funding for major upgrades of M4 junctions 16 and 17, and of the A350 at Chippenham.
The development of Porton Science Park near Salisbury, the opening of the Business Cyber Centre at Chippenham, and the redevelopment of the Mansion House, Corsham to create an incubation space for businesses working within the digital or innovation sectors were also LEP successes.
This week, both local authorities have acknowledged the closure of the Business and Growth Unit.
Cllr Helen Belcher, Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for economic development, regeneration and assets, said: “Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council jointly agreed to close the Swindon & Wiltshire Economic Advisory Board as both authorities progress with our respective devolution plans for Wessex and the Thames Valley.
“This move reflects our shared commitment to ensuring that local business voices continue to shape policy, while allowing each area to align more closely with its emerging devolution arrangements.
“We are currently developing a forward programme for business engagement, which will include the establishment of a dedicated business board to ensure a strong and influential business voice for Wiltshire.
“In the meantime, we remain fully committed to engaging regularly with our business community through our Place Partnership Boards, local chambers, business representation groups, our Business Intelligence and Network Group, the Rural Economy Sector Group, and through direct relationships with strategic employers via our Wiltshire 100 programme.”
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Swindon Borough Council said: “Swindon Borough Council is adopting a more direct and proactive approach to economic development.
“The reality is that economic geography does not always respect administrative boundaries.
“By aligning with the Thames Valley Mayoral Strategic Authority, we are positioning Swindon alongside Oxford and Reading.
“This partnership acknowledges that our strongest economic links – particularly in tech, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing – flow along the M4 corridor.
“This is a deliberate move to secure the benefits of devolution. Rather than a broad, localised approach, we are shifting towards a high-impact model that allows us to compete globally.
“Aligning with the Thames Valley ecosystem enables us to disrupt the status quo and present a unified, investable proposition to the market.”