Honda will finally shut up shop at its Swindon plant later in the summer, just as Swindon’s economy will be trying to recover from the lockdowns and restrictions imposed since March 2020.

A strong and swift recovery is hoped for and Swindon borough councillors will be hoping that new owners of the South Marston site Panattoni are able to find companies who will want to use it, bringing jobs to the town.

The progress of the huge warehouse being built by Panattoni for Amazon just down the road at Symmetry Park off the A420 will also be eagerly awaited.

While the fate of the Oasis Leisure Centre did not seem to have the impact on the recent elections some expected David Renard’s Conservative cabinet will hope to see its owners Severn Capital moving towards re-opening the centre or real progress in replacing it. They will also hope that diggers are finally seen on the site due to be turned into the indoor snow centre just across the road.

Some of the council’s major road schemes such as the expansion and redesign of the White Hart roundabout have continued throughout 2020 and into 2021, and the council will be relived when its delayed work at Mead Way and Moonrakers’ junction, which have caused a lot of disruption, are complete.

That work will soon be replaced by the project to changing of Fleming Way to a bus boulevard as the centrepiece of a £20m programme for the town centre.