Brexit: It could be good for Swindon. Or bad. Senior councillors from three parties and trades unions representatives met to discuss a report on how leaving the EU in March 2019 might affect the town for better or worse.

Local Democracy Reporter Aled Thomas reports

Nine reasons to be cheerful

1. Accelerated conversion of shops to houses, leisure or cafes. Continued evolution of town centres.

2. Provision for maintaining judicial co-operation in criminal matters for transition period, including European arrest warrants.

3. With renewed focus on non-EU trade links to Heathrow become more important. Higher rents make developments more viable business growth generates more business rates income.

4. There may be no change to the workforce in care homes and hospitals or any losses are replaced by newly trained people or other migrants.

5. Tourism from other parts of Britain grows at a rate exceeding decline from the EU. Benefits to town centre especially cafes and restaurants, benefits to hotels and other related employers.

6. Changes in central government grants (to pay for EU commitments up to 2028) could see government revenues improve so there are new or additional funding streams e.g funding for new schools, highways maintenance etc.

7. Existing goods and services would be accepted after UK leaves EU (in the government’s proposed deal) Manufacturers may seek new local sources for key parts boosting employment.

8. Opportunity to adopt new languages such as Mandarin as well as new demand for Spanish and Portuguese. Recruit new professional teachers from non-EU nations.

9. Fewer unaccompanied child migrants reducing pressure on council children's services.

Nine reasons to be fearful

1. A loss of trade for town centre shops and business, decline of the traditional town centre, job losses.

2. Increased risk to residents of crime from EU criminals - lack of intelligence about those coming from EU with criminal connections, ability of criminals to flee UK jurisdiction and take refuge in EU.

3. Pressure on transport infrastructure especially A420 and lack of direct service to Heathrow. High demand for housing raises prices and risk of homelessness. Air quality may deteriorate.

4. Difficulty recruiting or retaining staff to provide care for the elderly or for support roles at the hospital - with the concern lives are put at risk.

5. Increased internal tourism puts additional pressure on the road network. Increase in the number of lower-skilled service jobs.

6. Changes in government revenue could mean fewer or no additional Free Schools to meet pupil demand and reduction in funding from Local Enterprise Partnership to support regeneration.

7.Uncertainty in supply chain means firms move away from ‘just in time’ delivery or reliance on imports. Loss of employment land for high skilled jobs and pressure on sites needed for housing to accommodate more land for storage. Local factories don’t win contracts because they can not apply ‘just in time’ model.

8. Fewer native French German or other European language teachers or EU teachers wit specialist skills like STEM.

9. Increased risk of adults pretending to be minors to remain in the UK.