Heart of Wessex: Swindon Borough Council to discuss devolution
It'll be in a meeting next week
All 57 councillors who sit on Swindon Borough Council will be able to make their views known before the authority makes any decision on whether to combine with neighbouring councils for extra powers.
The government’s white paper on Devolution suggests that upper-tier authorities, like Swindon, Wiltshire Council and Oxford and Gloucestershire County Councils, combine, in part, to form bigger ‘strategic authorities’ with extra powers over topics such as transport, strategic development, skills and economic development.
A motion put forward by both the leader of the Labour Administration Councillor Jim Robbins and the Conservative opposition leader Councillor Gary Sumner will be debated at the full council meeting next Thursday.
It says: “This council welcomes the proposals contained in the devolution white paper published by the government including the establishment of strategic authorities that will receive devolved powers from the government and the commitment to local government reorganisation.
“This council commits to cross-party working with all 57 elected members and with all neighbouring councils, to ensure the best possible long-term resolution to devolution is agreed, and results in an outcome that maximises the long-term economic, social and cultural interests of Swindon and our residents.”
The motion is almost certain to be passed.
The meeting starts at 7pm on Thursday January 16 in the Civic Offices in Euclid Street.