Swindon goes Labour in Local Elections

Long seen as an ‘electoral bellweather’ – i.e. representing the likely national result in the event of a General Election – yesterday’s vote (4 May) has resulted in a shift of control in Swindon from Conservative to Labour.

Marlborough isn’t in Swindon. Yet. Long been rumoured that a change of boundary may happen but this area is still very much part of Wiltshire, the Local Authority being Wiltshire Council. There was, apparently some move several years ago to pass the responsibility for Planning to Swindon, even though electorally Marlborough was under Wiltshire Council, which would have been somewhat of anomaly (and open to all sort of possible legal challenge) had that ‘idea’ ever progressed.

What are the implications for residents of Marlborough? Difficult to speculate at this point exactly what, but many residents of Marlborough are influenced heavily by what happens in Swindon as many work in that town, our hospital (GWH) is there, and some of us (mad fools!) are supporters of Swindon Town Football Club.

But the Town Council of Marlborough is a level below either Wiltshire Council or Swindon Borough Council – they are ‘Local Authorities’ – and whilst our Council is not ‘political’ there are many other differences the obvious being setting and collection of Council Tax and general responsibility for and management of the area controlled.

But a change of Political leadership in Swindon may be a portent of a change in national government, in the event of a General Election which can’t be too long away as the latest deadline is December next year, and rarely does a Government go to full term.