THE battle is on again to bring a university to Swindon.

Councillors will be asked at a meeting next week to reaffirm their commitment to bringing a university to the town to help provide a more skilled workforce.

Swindon is the largest town in England and Wales without a university, and Wiltshire is one of the only county without one.

Swindon is also among the worst 10 per cent of local authorities for young people who go on to higher education.

There have been calls for a university in the past and money for a higher education centre formed part of the LEP bid earlier this year and, although money was granted, it was for other projects.

Council leaders have said they support the idea of a university but until they are given funding then it is hard to foresee one coming in the near future.

Coun Mark Dempsey (Lab, Walcot and Park North), the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for North Swindon, is putting forward the motion at Thursday’s full council meeting.

He said: “A university for Swindon is an absolute priority for the future of the town.

“It would provide opportunities for young people and many businesses have told me it would be of huge economic benefit to the town.

“It is vitally important that we push to try and secure a university campus for Swindon.

“If we can first get more higher education facilities into Swindon then we can build on from there.

“If I get elected I will be pressing the Government to support this.

“Swindon is the biggest town in England and Wales not to have a university and that needs to change if it is to reach its economic potential.”

Council leader David Renard says the council is already committed to bringing in higher education.

“Both myself, and my two predecessors, have worked hard towards this so the council is already committed,” he said.

“The Government is committed to more university places but not to a new site so it is largely out of our hands.

“We have Oxford Brookes in Swindon, as well as the two colleges, providing higher education but I think everyone knows we need to be pushing for more.

“That is what Unifest was about a few weeks ago where we had several universities talking about this subject.”

The council meeting will take place on Thursday at the Civic Offices, starting at 7pm.