The refurbished building at Moredon Sporting Hub was officially opened on Monday 14th September, giving councillors their own chamber alongside offices and facilities for staff.
The former cricket and recreation pavilion had been left without an obvious purpose following the development of the wider sporting hub.
Council chairman Kevin Small said:
“We really didn’t want to lose it. There were some who said we should knock it down because we didn’t have a need for it.
“We then came up with the idea of creating a council chamber here.”
The parish council says the building also has historic links to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who opened the pavilion while she was still a princess. Rather than demolish the building, the authority invested £220,000 in its refurbishment and conversion into a permanent base.
The project also solves a long-running issue surrounding where councillors could hold their meetings.
The council initially expected to use rooms within the main Moredon Sporting Hub, but its success as a community venue meant space was increasingly needed for activities including dance and fitness sessions.
Councillors sometimes found themselves meeting in changing rooms, while other activities taking place at the venue could make conducting council business difficult.
Meetings were eventually moved back to Pinetrees Community Centre until the pavilion conversion was completed. Cllr Small said the new headquarters comes as the parish council takes on greater responsibilities for local services. He said:
“We are faced with increasing challenges as we shift from the traditional services which were once run by Swindon Borough Council and which have been put on to us.
“We are also becoming a closer conduit with the people who rely on local government for its services.”
The relocation also places the authority in a different part of the large area it serves, having previously been based at Pinetrees Community Centre.
Central Swindon North Parish Council represents communities including Moredon, Rodbourne, Rodbourne Cheney, Gorse Hill, Pinehurst, Penhill and Ferndale.
The headquarters now contains the dedicated council chamber and offices for support staff, although further work is needed around access to the building.
Cllr Neil Hopkins, the Mayor of Swindon officially opened the new headquarters and welcomed the decision to preserve the historic building.
He said:
“The easy decision was just to knock it down and concrete over it.
“The fact that you have created this brilliant council office out of it, as well as having a superb council chamber, is brilliant.”
The Mayor also told those attending that the success of the investment would ultimately be determined by how the building was used for the benefit of residents.
Central Swindon North Parish Council was established in 2017 and has since assumed responsibility for various local services and community facilities.
Closing the ceremony, Mr Small said:
“I hope for the future that only good things will come out of this room”
