I HOPE you all had an enjoyable Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year.

This period is always a good time to reflect on the previous 12 months and also to look ahead to the future.

And so I thought I would take the opportunity to do both in this column.

I was immensely proud this year to see so many residents get behind the fantastic programme of events in the town that marked the anniversary of Swindon’s birth 175 years ago.

The sight of the Minis on the Magic Roundabout and the sound of the Railway Works hooter will live long in the memory.

This year has seen some inspiring individual achievements, such as aspiring jockey AbdulKareem Musa Adam who was recognised nationally in the prestigious Pride Of Sport Awards.

Abdul was looked after by one of our dedicated foster carers after arriving in Swindon as a 15-year-old orphaned refugee fleeing war-torn Sudan.

Nineteen apprentices received awards this year at our first Apprenticeship Awards and we also recognised the efforts of some of our outstanding teachers at our first Swindon Education Excellence Awards.

Equally inspiring were the stories of the residents we have supported to make positive life changes, whether that’s losing weight, quitting smoking or recovering from an alcohol addiction.

Our staff’s excellent work in helping parents develop relationships and healthy feeding practices with their babies ensured the council achieved Baby Friendly Accreditation from UNICEF UK.

Staying on the Early Years theme, we were one of the few local authorities to be selected for the Government’s 30 hours’ free childcare pilot scheme.

Our council vision for the town will really begin to take shape next year.

We unveiled exciting designs for the new Swindon Museum And Art Gallery just a couple of weeks ago and our plans to regenerate the heart of Swindon, including the nearby North Star site, remain firmly in our sights.

We signalled our proactive approach by committing to work with the private sector to lead on the provision of a pub/restaurant, housing for older people and residential development at Wichelstowe.

We also blazed the trail nationally with our hugely successful solar bonds.

Millions of pounds are being spent reinvigorating Swindon, with the new Sussex Place regeneration nearing completion and the £23m revamp of Queen’s Drive could start next year.

Havelock Square has been refurbished and major highway junctions are being improved at Greenbridge and Junction 16 of the M4.

Of course, no one can ignore the scale of the financial pressures on public services across the country that will continue to demand difficult decisions and hard choices, but we can all play a part in helping to find the best solutions that work for Swindon.

I wish you every success with your goals and ambitions for the year ahead.