David Renard will set out next week what Swindon Borough Council has achieved over the last year, and what he wants to do in the 12 months ahead.

The council leader is set to present his annual report to the authority’s scrutiny committee on Monday.

As well as discussing policy and practice, Coun Renard, who leads the Conservative ruling group, hails a successful May local election

He said: “This year’s local elections were fought in a difficult environment because of the national preoccupation with Brexit.

“The Conservative group, however, managed to cut though some of the negativity and focus on local issues ensuring it was returned with a larger majority.”

Coun Renard adds: “I am particularly keen to focus on the part of the vision that says ‘a low-carbon environment with compelling cultural, retail and leisure opportunities and excellent infrastructure’.

"Following an earlier motion to council regarding climate change, and the thought-provoking actions here in Swindon by young people concerned for the future of their planet, I am delighted to see the enthusiasm that is being put into the council’s new cross-party climate change working group.

"The group has already met twice and I am confident that it will stimulate wider debate on what we as a council can do to accelerate climate change mitigation here in Swindon.”

One area will be dealing with waste and rubbish.

Coun Renard said the council and its wholly-owned company Public Power Solutions, which runs the Waterside Park recycling and recovered power plant are looking to introduce electric vehicles to its fleet of dustcarts.

He details the plan for the authority to stop using single-use plastics in its buildings by next year, and to significantly increase the rate of recycling in the borough while taking satisfaction in the fact that Swindon sends less than a quarter of the national average to landfill.

Less than five per cent of rubbish collected here is dumped, compared with 21 per cent nationally.

Despite the announcement that Honda is to leave its plant in South Marston in two years’ time, Coun Renard will tell members the local economy is strong.

He says “Swindon continues to have one of the best-performing economies in the country, according the 2019 Centre for Cities Outlook report. Amid continuing funding and demand pressures, we continue to play a vital role in encouraging private investment that creates local employment opportunities and delivers social gain.”

Chairman of the scrutiny committee, Labour councillor Bob Wright, said: “I’d expect the report to be pretty positive. It’s what we ask cabinet members to do: set out what they’ve done well and what they haven’t done so well.

“It’s the case that no administration really wants to focus on and highlight its shortcomings. I am waiting to see what happens at the cabinet meeting this week, but I’m particularly interested in the plans for a high-speed route for public transport into into the town centre from the New Eastern Villages which are going to be built.”

The scrutiny committee will hear from Coun Renard on Monday, starting at 6pm, at the civic offices in Euclid Street.

Members of the public are entitled to attend.