Swindon council leaders have said that creating a regional mayor could unlock as much as £18.7bn for the Thames Valley by 2040. The plan would see Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Swindon councils joining forces under a new Thames Valley Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA), giving a single elected mayor responsibility for regional priorities including housing and transport.
Councillor Jim Robbins, leader of Swindon Borough Council (SBC), described the proposal as a “game-changing opportunity for Swindon and one we need to grasp with both hands.” The MSA group estimates the devolution deal could also generate £7bn in additional annual tax revenue across the region.
Councillor Gary Sumner, leader of SBC’s Conservative group, said closer collaboration with partners along the M4 corridor would strengthen supply chains and create significant opportunities for economic growth. “This new strategic authority provides a chance to build on our current strengths and become even stronger,” he added.
Councils in the region are expected to debate an expression of interest in joining the MSA during meetings in November and December. If approved, the submission would be sent to the government at the end of the year. Councillor Adam Poole of the borough council’s Liberal Democrats group said the partnership would benefit both local businesses and residents, boosting Swindon’s prosperity.
The proposal follows a government white paper suggesting the abolition of district councils in favour of larger mayoral combined authorities. Similar discussions are ongoing elsewhere in the south-west to form the Heart of Wessex authority, combining Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Somerset, North Somerset and Wiltshire under devolved powers. Existing combined authorities, such as the West of England Combined Authority covering Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire councils, provide a precedent for such regional collaboration.
