While the council has a clear goal of promoting economic growth in Swindon, not everyone appreciates that this is about more than providing employment land, supporting good schools or ensuring that there are enough houses.

A good, healthy town is not just a collection of all these; it needs sports, leisure, recreation and the arts too. That is why the council is putting so much effort into working with private sponsors to secure funding for a new museum and art gallery. Just as we are one of the top places in Britain for industry and creating wealth, so we should aim to punch above our weight as a cultural centre.

We have a good head start on this because we have built up an internationally recognised and historically significant collection of Twentieth Century British Art. If you want proof of this go to Munster in Germany, where some of the borough’s works of arts are part of an international exhibition, and Swindon is in the same league as national art galleries from as far afield as Australia.

At the same time the Turner exhibition that we are hosting is proving to be a real attraction. It has produced nearly a three-fold increase in visitors over the same period last year. I am sure there are many other businesses and attractions that would welcome such a jump in custom.

If we can achieve such an impact at an old museum with poor parking and access, just think what we could achieve if we had a modern, centrally located gallery? What other shops, cafes and businesses might benefit from the extra visitors? Given that we have this highly rated art collection, and there are legal covenants that prevent us just from selling it off, it is only right that the council tries to get the maximum benefit for Swindon. This is why we have worked with partners to submit a £12m bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund to get the money to make a new museum and art gallery one step closer.

Some people may only look at the cost benefit analysis on an individual case basis. However, that ignores the fact that any museum, just like any business, is part of a wider community. By raising the town’s profile, a new museum and art gallery will help attract investment. By making this borough an even better place in which to live, we will encourage more people to stay here and use all our facilities, creating more jobs and wealth. It is not ‘art for art’s sake.’