The Conservative opposition on Swindon Borough Council questioned a £20 million funding announcement for a proposed new theatre in Swindon, Swindon24 reported on 14 April 2026, ahead of the local elections.
The money was reported to have been secured from the Department for Business and Trade towards a wider £45 million theatre project. The Conservative group leaders wrote to the Chancellor and the National Audit Office asking for urgent clarification.
What did the opposition say?
The group said it had found little supporting information when it tried to scrutinise the funding. It said senior council officers had confirmed that the only document available was a one-page briefing note sent to Swindon's MPs, and it claimed that, without documentation or a published process, the grant had "the appearance of being illegal".
Gary Sumner, the leader of the opposition, said: "We want the £20 million for Swindon, but we want it to be real, not a pre-election fantasy."
He added: "It is staggering for anyone that a £45 million project can be greenlit when there is no business case, no application form, and no planning permission."
His deputy, Dale Heenan, said there was "no official record of the £20 million grant on the Government's website".
The Conservatives also argued that using parking income to pay the council's share, which they said had been suggested, would breach the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, under which surplus parking income has to be spent on transport-related purposes.
What was the response?
These were the opposition's claims. Swindon24 reported that the Labour administration had not responded in detail at the time of publication. The council had been asked whether the funding was formally approved and documented, what stage the business case had reached and how its own contribution would be paid for.
The National Audit Office confirmed it would reply to the opposition's concerns within twenty days.
Source: Swindon24.
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