Developers behind some of Swindon's biggest building projects could be made to employ members of the local workforce before getting the go ahead.

Members of Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet endorsed a report which said the man in charge of planning and strategic infrastructure Gary Sumner should look at whether it’s possible to get such ‘local labour clauses’ into the Local Plan, which is going through a revision.

The Conservatives' approval follows unanimous approval by councillors at January’s full council meeting of a Labour motion asking for such an investigation.

The report to cabinet said other councils are managing to include such measures: “To secure the use of local labour through a planning application there needs to be a relevant adopted Local Plan policy in place.

"Some local planning authorities have already included or referenced  local labour within their Local Plan.”

The report quotes a section of Bristol City Council’s plan: “The infrastructure, facilities and services to which development may contribute include local employment and training initiatives” and Eastbourne Borough Council’s which says it wants developers to : “Seek local labour agreements on all development of 1,000 square metres or more, including change of use, to secure local employment and training measures as part of development proposals; and supporting the education and training sector of the Eastbourne economy.”

The report warned that any policy would have to pass scrutiny by a government-appointed planning inspector: “To include a policy in a Local Plan it needs to be supported by robust evidence which is tested through an examination by an independent planning inspector.

“The type of questions and evidence which will need to be considered during the development of the policy are: what reasonably constitutes a local job – what is the catchment area?

"Is there a lack of jobs which are appropriate for the local population and that new jobs are being filled by in-commuters? Evidence of difficulties for local people in accessing local jobs – by sector or by skill type. Evidence of the types of jobs made available and why local people don't tend to fill these positions.”

Speaking after the meeting leader of the council David Renard said: “This was approved with no debate, after being passed by the full council, and we’ll be looking at including something on local labour in the Local Plan when it is revised.”

The original motion was proposed by Labour group leader Jim Robbins, who said: “We’re very pleased this is going ahead.

"If Labour is elected we’ll be wanting to do a lot on community wealth building and the Swindon model.”