Labour councillors - both long-serving members and those newly elected - definitely got the memo.

As the numbers of the 41 members of the ruling Labour group filled the benches across two-thirds of the council chamber,  group cohesion, at least for now, was shown by the red ties of the male councillors and the red shoes, trousers, jackets, dresses, cardigans and headscarves variously worn by the female members.

And their leader Councillor Jim Robbins, breaking rank in a grey tweed suit and floral-patterned tie, said his administration, which now has a full two years before it has to face an election again, will be “relentlessly focussed on delivery.”

Speaking to the formal annual meeting of the council where a new Mayor and deputy Mayor are elected, and new councillors introduced, Cllr Robbins said: “Looking out on to the chamber and the numbers of councillors in the group is quite overwhelming and humbling and a not a little scary.

“I know how desperate to serve you all serve and we will continue to get to grips with the council and well get things done over the next two years.”

Outside the meeting Cllr Robbins told the Local Democracy Reporter: “People keep telling me it’s harder work the bigger the majority gets.

But I think the entire group is really keen to get on with the work and it really understand what we are trying to do with our three missions.”

He added: “The people of Swindon have told us clearly what they expect from us and what they want to see us doing to improve their town.

“We are going to really focus on that for the next two years, and we will be relentlessly focussed on delivery.”

The power of the huge Labour majority in the chamber was made very obvious when the group’s candidate for the chairmanship of the newly set up Adults’ and Children’s services overview and Scrutiny committee, Councillor Stanka Adamcova, was elected easily over the Conservatives’ nomination, Councillor Jake Chandler.

Cllr Chandler was elected unanimously as the deputy chairman of the committee.

The next scheduled election for councillors in the borough is May 2026, when all 57 seats will be up for grabs owing to boundary changes. After that the council adopts a new electoral pattern of ‘all out’ elections every four years, with the next election in 2030.