Editing Swindon (section)

===Modern period===
[[File:Swindonmap 1933.jpg|thumb|right|Swindon in 1933]]
[[File:Extract of Ordnance Survey Map SU18.jpg|thumb|right|Swindon in 1959. Grid squares are {{convert|1|km|mi|abbr=on}}.]]
The [[Second World War]] saw an influx of new industries as part of the war effort; [[Vickers-Armstrong]] making aircraft at Stratton, and [[Plessey]] at Cheney Manor producing electrical components. By 1960, Plessey had become Swindon's biggest employer, with a predominantly female workforce.<ref>[http://www.swindonweb.com/index.asp?m=8&s=116&ss=396&t=THE+ELECTRONIC+AGE The Electronic Age], ''swindonweb.com'', 21 August 2014; retrieved 3 September 2019</ref>

[[David Murray John]], Swindon's town clerk from 1938 to 1974, is seen as a pioneering figure in Swindon's post-war regeneration: his last act before retirement was to sign the contract for Swindon's tallest building, which is now named after him.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.swindonweb.com/?m=8&s=115&ss=462&c=1168&t=The%20David%20Murray%20John%20 |title=SwindonWeb – Brunel Tower David Murray John |work=swindonweb.com |access-date=27 March 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207181044/http://www.swindonweb.com/?m=8&s=115&ss=462&c=1168&t=The%20David%20Murray%20John%20 |archive-date=7 February 2012}}</ref>  Murray John's successor was David Maxwell Kent, appointed by the Swindon/Highworth Joint Committee in 1973: he had worked closely with Murray John and continued similar policies for a further twenty years. The [[Greater London Council]] withdrew from the Town Development Agreement and the local council continued the development on its own.

There was the problem of the Western Development and of [[Lydiard Park]] being in the new [[North Wiltshire]] district, but this was resolved by a boundary change to take in part of North Wiltshire. Another factor limiting local decision-taking was the continuing role of [[Wiltshire County Council]] in the administration of Swindon. Together with like-minded councils, a campaign was launched to bring an updated form of [[county borough]] status to Swindon. This was successful in 1997 with the formation of [[Swindon Borough Council]], covering the areas of the former Thamesdown and the former Highworth Rural District Council.

In February 2008, ''[[The Times]]'' named Swindon as one of "The 20 best places to buy a property in Britain".<ref>[http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/buying_and_selling/article3327954.ece The 20 best places to buy a property in Britain] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509153728/http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/buying_and_selling/article3327954.ece |date=9 May 2008 }}, ''[[The Times]]'', Property pages, February 2008</ref> Only [[Warrington]] had a lower ratio of house prices to household income in 2007, with the average household income in Swindon among the highest in the country.

In October 2008, Swindon Council made a controversial move to ban fixed point [[speed cameras]]. The move was branded as reckless by some,<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4999970.ece More councils expected to ban speed cameras] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507164553/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4999970.ece |date=7 May 2009 }}, ''[[The Times]]'', October 2008</ref> but by November 2008 [[Portsmouth]], [[Walsall]], and [[Birmingham]] councils<ref>[http://www.bigredl.co.uk/Swindonbansspeedcameras.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618033148/http://www.bigredl.co.uk/Swindonbansspeedcameras.htm|date=18 June 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/oct/23/localgovernment-motoring |work=The Guardian |location=London |title=More councils expected to ban speed cameras |first=Matthew |last=Weaver |date=23 October 2008 |access-date=24 May 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005225726/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/oct/23/localgovernment-motoring |archive-date=5 October 2013 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> were also considering the move.

In 2001, construction began on [[Priory Vale]], the third and final instalment in Swindon's 'Northern Expansion' project, which began with Abbey Meads and continued at St Andrew's Ridge. In 2002, the New Swindon Company was formed with the remit of regenerating the town centre, to improve Swindon's regional status.<ref>[http://www.newswindon.co.uk New Swindon] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205080556/http://www.newswindon.co.uk/ |date=5 February 2007 }}.</ref> The main areas targeted were Union Square, The Promenade, The Hub, Swindon Central, North Star Village, The Campus, and the Public Realm.

In August 2019, a secondary school in the town was at the centre of a '[[County lines (drug trafficking)|county lines]]' drug supply investigation by Wiltshire Police, with 40 pupils suspected of being involved in the supply of cannabis and cocaine, and girls as young as 14 being coerced into sexual activity in exchange for drugs.<ref>'County lines drugs gang recruits 40 pupils in one school-one for each class' report by Charles Hymas, Home Affairs Editor, The Daily Telegraph 23 August 2019 page 11.</ref>