THE first results have been announced for Swindon s local elections. This article will be updated when the next round of results comes in - follow our live blog for more of the day s news. The Conservatives have held Coun Vijay Manro joins the ward after receiving 2,075 votes. This is more than double Labour candidate Keir Baynham s 867 votes. Andrew Day of the Green Party came third with 442 votes. Liberal Democrat Michael Heal followed with 137 votes. Independent candidate Tara Hurst received 126 votes. The results for
Mannington and Western are in: Coun Kevin Small from the Labour Party stays in his post after receiving 1,184 votes.
Swindon Road in Wroughton The size of Wroughton and the encroachment of Swindon on the village will be an issue in Wroughton and Wichelstowe. The ward is the third largest in area but most of it is rural, apart from the village of Wroughton and the growing development area of Wichelstowe. But Wroughton looks set to grow. Swindon Borough Council’s latest local plan suggests that it is one of two areas – along with Blunsdon and Highworth – to take a significant growth in housing, with two allocations of 300 homes each for Wroughton. The rationale is it is easier and cheaper to build in villages where infrastructure exists than create new areas of town.