Conservatives strengthen grip on power in Swindon with thumping local elections win

As votes were counted at Steam yesterday, the Tories always looked likely to hold on to their majority in Euclid Street.

But on a day to remember for the party up and down the country they sealed the deal with three stunning victories in Penhill & Upper Stratton, Rodbourne Cheney and Central. All three wards have been solid Labour seats until now – with even the loss of Penhill in 2019 attributable to a split Labour vote.

The Conservatives ended the delayed 2021 local elections with a thumping 15-seat majority in the council chamber – the biggest in living memory.

Conservative council leader David Renard was thrilled.

He said: “We thought we might be in got a good day, but I’m not sure we expected this.

"We thought we had a chance in Rodbourne Cheney and Penhill & Upper Stratton, but to win in Central as well – we don’t normally expect to do well there.”

Coun Renard said he took this as a vote of great approval for his administration and his party’s councillors.

He added: “The national picture is helpful, of course, but voters in Swindon clearly think we are doing a good job and they want us to continue.

“We have been communicating with residents and explaining what we’ve done and what we are going to do. The latest reports are that Swindon’s economy is well-placed to recover from the pandemic and its prospects are good. We have excellent plans for the town centre and its regeneration, and people believe in what we are doing.”

The Conservative group will meet on Monday evening to choose its leader.

Coun Renard said his nomination forms are already in and added: “I want to continue and hope that my colleagues will support me after what I think is a ringing endorsement.”

His Labour counterpart Jim Grant was disconsolate.

He said: “Swindon really does mirror the rest of the country – these seats were red wall seats, like Hartlepool and parliamentary seats in the north which the Conservatives have taken.

“And we have massively increased our majority in Old Town, which has a younger demographic, and is our equivalent of a London borough.”

He added: “It’s a good question where we as a party go from here.

"I think the thing we have to do, both in Swindon and in the country as a whole is get out there and listen to people, and understand why this happened?

"We need to listen and learn what people want, and work our way back to regain their trust and support.”

Coun Grant said he would stay on as Labour group leader if that was the wish of his colleagues, who will meet on Monday.

He said: “I’m willing to stay on, but that’s a decision for my colleagues.”

Labour chairman of the scrutiny committee Jim Robbins was at the first count for his Mannington & Western colleague Kevin Small.

After Coun Small held the seat with a greatly reduced majority, and their party colleague Jane Milner-Barry actually increased her majority in Conservative target Old Town, he was philosophical.

Coun Robbins said: “We were never going to overturn the Conservatives' majority given the national picture – but we shall campaign on issues here, and work to re-establish Labour’s relationship with the voters here, and we carry on.”

The one spark of good news for Labour was that it won Eastcott, after two recounts, by just 44 votes. Labour’s only gain of the day saw long-serving, hugely respected Liberal Democrat councillor Stan Pajak lose his seat, wiping out his party in the council chamber.

Supporting his Conservative colleagues, South Swindon MP Robert Buckland said: “This shows that the Conservatives are in tune with the priorities of the people of Swindon and Great Britain as a whole.”

The situation just before a third of the 57 seats became vacant at the end of March was complicated by the deaths of two sitting councillors and the late resignation of another.

But the Conservatives came into the election with a majority of three with 30 councillors, against Labour’s 23, two for the Liberal Democrats and two for the Independent Tory group formed when two who left the main group last year.

With 21 seats across all 20 wards being contested, it meant the effective standings before a vote was counted were the Conservatives with 20, Labour with 15 councillors and the Independent Tories with one.

Early results gave Labour some hope its vote might hold up even if they would not win power – they held Mannington & Western and increased their majority in Old Town.

Coun Milner-Barry said: “This was a very strange and difficult election – we haven’t been able to speak to people, or even put leaflets through their door.

“I’m very pleased with this result, it feels like a solid win in the end, and I take it as an expression of confidence in Labour by the people of Old Town and East Wichel.”

But a crushing set of results – where three previously solid Labour seats all went blue in succession – showed that to be a false hope, and the Conservatives went on picking up seats, winning in Liden, Eldene and Park South.

They won Haydon Wick back from the Independent Tories. Former Conservative cabinet member Oliver Donachie was soundly beaten after leaving the group last year and being increasingly critical of both the administration and Coun Renard in particular.

The turnout across Swindon was 38 per cent.

The Conservatives now hold 36 seats, with Labour on 21 and the Independent Tories on one.