Principles met

  • We will develop systems that enable citizens to be equal partners in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.
  • We will explore ways for councils to act as a platform for helping the community to contribute to local outcomes, and to re-think the role of councillors as community connectors, brokers and leaders.
  • We will embrace innovation in how we work with local communities to drive positive change.
  • We will capture and ‘expand’ the experience and learning from individual projects and approaches in order to encourage broader application of co-operative principles within individual member Councils and across the Network.
  • In exploring new ways of meeting the priority needs of our communities we will encourage models, such as co-operatives and mutuals, which give greater influence and voice to staff and users. in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.

Following the change in administration to a Labour Council at the May 2023 elections, the Council embarked on the creation of a new corporate plan – The Swindon Plan 2024 – 2027.  The plan sets out how the Council will respond to the financial challenges it faces and how it will deliver on the three decade long missions – Fairer Swindon, Better Swindon and Greener Swindon.

Following internal work to develop this, the Draft Swindon Plan was presented to Cabinet in December 2023.  In 2024, the Council developed ‘Let’s Talk Swindon’ – an ambitious engagement programme to gather feedback on the Draft Swindon Plan. This is in line with the Council’s aim to widen engagement with residents, colleagues, partners and stakeholders, underpinned by shared principles of honesty and transparency  The Council held a number of resident engagement sessions, a session with partners, visits to local groups and set up a new online engagement hub.

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