Conservative group leaders at Swindon Borough Council have written to the Chancellor and the National Audit Office seeking urgent clarification. They argue the funding has “the appearance of being illegal” due to an absence of documentation or a published process.
The controversy follows an announcement that £20 million had been secured from the Department for Business and Trade to support a wider £45 million theatre project. Opposition councillors say attempts to scrutinise the funding have uncovered what they describe as a complete lack of supporting information.
Cllr Gary Sumner, Leader of the Opposition, said:
“We want the £20 million for Swindon, but we want it to be real, not a pre-election fantasy. 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.”
He added that senior council officers had confirmed the only document available was a one-page briefing note sent to Swindon’s MPs.
His deputy, Cllr Dale Heenan, described the funding as a “ghost grant”. He said:
“There is no official record of the £20 million grant on the Government’s website, no Government department has published the details, and the Council says nothing actually exists for councillors to read and scrutinise.”
The Conservatives have also raised concerns about how the council intends to fund its share of the project. They claim suggestions that parking income could be used would breach legal restrictions.
They cite legislation including the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, which requires any surplus from parking charges to be ring-fenced for transport-related purposes rather than general spending.
The allegations come amid wider financial pressures facing the council, which has previously warned of significant budget challenges in the coming years.
The Labour administration has not yet publicly responded in detail to the claims.
At the time of publication, Swindon Borough Council has been asked to clarify whether the £20 million funding is formally approved and documented, what stage the project has reached in terms of planning and business case development, and how the council intends to fund its contribution within legal limits.
The National Audit Office has confirmed it will respond to the opposition’s concerns within twenty days.
The dispute sets the stage for a major political divide ahead of the local elections, with scrutiny now focused on both the future of a new theatre and the transparency of how major projects are announced.
