Fewer potholes on roads, easier to use public transport and more pride in Swindon are some of the main measures of success in a new plan being proposed by the council.

The new Swindon Plan, which is being put to the authority's cabinet, also aims to get people walking and cycling to get about the borough, and being more active and living in good health for longer.

Council leader, Cllr Jim Robbins, says in his introduction to the plan: “Swindon is a fantastic place, home to over 230,000 residents. It welcomes people from all over the world who choose to settle here. I wasn’t born here, but I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

“However, the town is not perfect, far from it. There are areas where the town looks tired and run down and we haven’t invested in new facilities at the rate that we have built houses in the town.”

The plan restates the council’s three over-arching ‘missions’: Build a Better Swindon, Combat Inequality and Achieve Net Zero.

Cllr Robbins acknowledges that the council’s finances are not in good shape and may not see improvement “for the foreseeable future”.

But he says the driver is the needs of the people of the borough: “The 2023 Swindon Resident survey results told us loud and clear that the council needs to do much more to involve and engage residents in its plans and thinking.”

The residents survey told the council that the three things people feel need most improving are road and pavement repairs, the town centre and the level of crime.

The plan says the council will renew its plans to address domestic violence and anti-social behaviour and work with partners to divert young people away from crime.

It aims also to “create a town ready for the challenge of the coming decades, understanding what facilities and infrastructure we need".

It continues: "Understanding the council’s direct and indirect role in improving the town centre and in creating more affordable housing while supporting and brokering support from the private sector.”

That includes ensuring more homes, and particularly more affordable homes, and supporting businesses to set up or continue to thrive in the town.

The measurement of success will be the number of enquiries to business support functions, the number of start-ups, the value added to Swindon’s economy and the rate of employment.

The report says that improving the appearance and use of heritage assets like The Health Hydro, the Mechanics’ Institute and the Corn Exchange would help.

It adds: “Heritage-led regeneration will bring about improvements in our urban environment and engender pride in our borough.

“By improving the town centre offer, including the re-use of viable heritage assets, we will be able to diversify our offer by bringing in facilities which will add to our town to be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.”

When it comes to roads, the plan says the opening of Fleming Way bus boulevard, the Whalebridge improvements scheme and the Southern Connector Road in the New Eastern Villages are key milestones.

The plan is to “consolidate planned road closures requests for utilities to increase shared use of closure period” and to monitor the number of potholes reported and the speed with which they are repaired.

The cabinet will be asked to endorse the report at its meeting which starts at 6pm on Tuesday, December 13 at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street.