Cut working from home to help trade, Swindon Borough Council urged

Gary Sumner, leader of Swindon Borough Council Conservatives, is calling for more staff to return to the office

A council is coming under pressure to help the high street by insisting more staff return to its town centre office.

Swindon Borough Council's opposition Conservatives warn the town centre's retail offer is in a "death spiral" made worse by a lack of council employee footfall since the pandemic.

They are introducing a debate on how to reduce remote working which will be discussed during a meeting on Thursday.

Labour's leader said they had to "strike a balance" to attract staff.

The opposition Conservatives say more workers in the office will help boost Swindon's high street

"Getting more staff back into the town centre will help businesses," said Conservative group leader Gary Sumner.

"It will encourage new businesses to open, because businesses without footfall fail," he added.

Before the pandemic triggered a change in practice, he said the town centre at lunchtime was "bustling" with Swindon Borough Council's "orange lanyards".

At the council meeting on Thursday evening, Mr Sumner is set to introduce a debate on how to encourage "as close a return as possible to pre-pandemic working, with an increase in the numbers of officers being on-site in order to support our town centre businesses".

Labour leader Jim Robbins said the council had to strike a balance with how people want to work post-pandemic

But the Labour administration warned it was a difficult balance as it struggles to recruit and retain staff in the modern jobs market.

Some current job roles advertised at Swindon Borough Council only require employees to be physically in the office on one day per week.

"We'll certainly have the conversation with staff," said Labour leader Jim Robbins.

But he added that the council is "trying to marry up all those competing factions reacting to the sort of work people want to do post-pandemic".

"We get what the Conservatives are trying to do in terms of supporting the town centre, we all want to see a more vibrant Swindon town centre," he added.

Swindon Borough Council's main office building, Wat Tyler House

Ahead of taking power in May, Labour had attacked the perceived lack of help for Swindon's town centre from the then-Conservative council, when Mr Sumner was deputy leader.

"I'm giving them something here which they can do which wouldn't cost them money," Mr Sumner said.

"This is a genuine offer of a good idea for both Swindon and elsewhere," he said, referencing other town centres like Trowbridge, home to neighbouring Wiltshire Council.