Debt rose by £24m in one year in Swindon
The debt per resident that Swindon Borough Council is carrying went up in the last financial year by over £100
Last updated 26th Aug 2025
Overall, the debt the council holds went up from the end of the financial year 2023-24 to the end of 2024-25 by nearly £24m, a 6.43 per cent increase from £371,576,000 to £395,476,000.
Figures have been collated by the BBC shared data unit from official government sources
Swindon’s percentage increase in debt is smaller than Wiltshire Council’s which went up by 9.75 per cent in the same period – a £37.3m increase in borrowing from £383.3m to £420.6m.
But because Wiltshire has more than twice the population of Swindon, it means the debt per resident in the larger county has only risen by £72 pounds each.
The rises in the borrowing of both councils are far from the highest in the country or even in the South West.
Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for finance Councillor Kevin Small said the borrowing was needed to improve services.
He said: “The council will only borrow money as a last resort and will only do so once it has exhausted other cash resources such as grant funding, developer contributions and capital receipts.
“In the financial year in question, the council actually invested £75m in infrastructure, housing and facilities to benefit local residents and the money borrowed went towards things like new recycling lorries, the town’s new museum and art gallery, Moredon Sporting Hub, investment in the town’s historic former railway Carriage Works and on new systems to help us protect our most vulnerable children and adults.
“Alongside this, the council’s finance officers also prudently manage our finances, advising on when and how best to sell assets that are surplus to requirements, which then can be used to pay off outstanding debt and interest charges, or allocated to a new capital project. This means we then do not have to borrow additional money, which saves Swindon council taxpayers money.”