It is always nice to start a new year with positive news, so I was naturally delighted that Swindon BC was able to announce the signing of a joint venture with Barratt Developments to deliver around 2,750 homes to the south of Swindon. This 50/50 partnership will see the council working alongside one of the country's biggest housebuilders to deliver Wichelstowe, a stand-out development of which the town can be proud.

As with many local authorities we have been exploring ways to make the best use of our existing assets to both increase the housing supply and generate income to alleviate the continuing pressure on our revenue budgets.