ONE of the pleasures of being the leader of the council is the opportunity I have to tell others about all the many attractions that Swindon has to offer, whether that is for businesses or those who wish to live here. That is why this administration remains committed to making Swindon a good place to live, not just to work.

Last night I visited the Oasis to see both the progress on the refurbishment and the unveiling of the plans to create an exciting regional leisure destination, including a ski dome, a 6,000-seat concert venue, extreme sports, shops, and more. Once completed, we expect to see 1,700 jobs at this site, as well as new opportunities to attract visitors from the surrounding region, which can only provide more jobs and money for our local economy. At the same time, I also saw the benefits of the refurbishment of the existing Oasis facilities, which are nearly complete. This is a significant private sector investment in one of the borough’s leisure facilities, which would not have occurred if it had remained in the hands of the council because we simply didn’t have the funds. It is yet more proof that the private sector has confidence in Swindon.

We may have wanted this to happen faster, but overall I am satisfied with the way that Moirai, to whom the council transferred the site, and Forward Swindon, the Council’s arms-length economic development company, are working together. The plans are on schedule and, based on last night’s presentation, I am impressed of the quality of the work that they have undertaken.

I know that this project has not escaped controversy. Some of those whoare on record as endorsing the original proposal to transfer the Oasis to Moirai then felt compelled to cry halt by demanding the transfer was revoked. Had the council listened to those doubting voices, I am not sure what good news there would be about this site.

It has been said that there are only two difficult parts to decision-making – making a choice in the first place and then sticking to it. Not giving up is a core life skill. Almost any endeavour worth achieving will require persistence. The Oasis redevelopment is a good example of this. The council could have stopped the project when there were some initial delays. The council could have restarted the entire tender process, with the extra costs for no guarantee that we would get a better result. As the old saying puts it: He who hesitates is lost.