Swindon (unitary authority)

Swindon (unitary authority), unitary authority, southern England, geographically located in north-eastern Wiltshire, near the border with Oxfordshire. Swindon was administratively part of Wiltshire until April 1, 1997, with local government responsibilities divided between two bodies: Wiltshire county council and Thamesdown district council, which covered Swindon town and some adjacent rural areas. On that date, under recommendations of the Local Government Commission set up in 1992 to review local government arrangements in England, Thamesdown was separated administratively from Wiltshire. Renamed Swindon, it became a unitary authority responsible for all aspects of local government. However, geographically and for ceremonial and related purposes Swindon remains part of Wiltshire.

As well as the town of Swindon, the borough includes the market town of Highworth and the villages of Blunsdon, Bishopstone, Wanborough, and Wroughton. The police authority is the Wiltshire Constabulary, which has its headquarters at Devizes. There are Crown Courts at Salisbury and Swindon. Population 180,061 (2001).