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Swindon (Local Profiles 2012)

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Key Facts

> Swindon’s population has increased by 12% since 2001, more than either the South West (7.0%) or England (6.3%).

> Life expectancy in Swindon for both men (78.4 years) and women (82.6 years) was lower than the South West average (79.2 for men, 83.3 for women).

> The rate of teenage conception in Swindon (39.3 per 1,000 women aged 15-17) was the higher than the South West rate (34.5 per 1,000) but lower than England (40.2 per 1,000).

> The crime rate in Swindon (43.1 per 1,000 population) was higher than the rate for the South West (33.8 per 1,000) and England and Wales (41.3 per 1,000).

> Median gross annual pay in Swindon was £26,900 (South West £24,922, England £26,165)

> The latest unemployment rate for Swindon is 7.1% (South West 6.0%, England 7.6%)

> 52.0% of Swindon pupils achieved 5+ GCSEs grades A*-C or equivalent, including Maths and English (South West 57.5%, England 58.3%).

> Swindon has the lowest percentage of workers (23.6%) qualified to NVQ 4 (degree or equivalent) of all unitary and county authorities in the South West.

> Swindon lowest quartile affordability ratio (house price to earnings ratio: a higher ratio means less affordable housing) was 6.5 (South West 8.2, England 6.7).

> There were 246 road casualties per 100,000 population in Swindon (South West 310, England 355).

Demographics

Population by Local Authority
  • Swindon is home to 3.8% of the total population of the South West.
  • Swindon has the 6th highest population density of the 16 unitary and district authorities in the South West.

 

Pop. 1000s

Area

Sq Km

Persons per sq km

Swindon

201.8

230

877

Swindon and Wiltshire LEP

661.6

3,485

190

South West

5,273.7

23,837

221

England

52,234.0

130,281

401

ONS – Mid Year Estimates 2010 / ONS Census 2001 Area data

Population Change
  • Since the 2001 census, Swindon’s population has increased by 12.1%, a higher rate of growth than the South West (7.0%) and England (6.3%).
  • This was the 3rd highest percentage increase of the 16 South West county and unitary authorities.
[ Zoom ]
Swindon Local Profile Population Change since 2001 Census
Swindon Local Profile Population Change since 2001 Census
Census 2001 and ONS Mid-Year Estimate 2010

Population by Age
  • Swindon has the highest proportion of children among the 16 South West county & unitary authorities. It has the 2nd lowest proportion of older people and the 3rd highest proportion of working age people.
[ Zoom ]
Swindon Local Profile Population by Age
Swindon Local Profile Population by Age
ONS Mid Year Estimates 2010

Ethnicity
  • At 4.8%, Swindon had the third highest ethnic minority population of unitary and district councils in the region in 2001 (South West: 2.3%, England: 9.1%).
  • Swindon’s Asian or Asian British ethnic group was the most populous part of the non-white population.
[ Zoom ]
Swindon Local Profile Non White Ethnicity
Swindon Local Profile Non White Ethnicity
ONS 2001 Census

Local Authority

Political Representation
  • Swindon includes 2 Parliamentary Constituencies (Swindon North and South) both of which have Conservative MPs.
  • The Conservative Party hold the majority of seats on Swindon Borough Council.

[ Zoom ]
Swindon Local Profile Councillors by Party
Swindon Local Profile Councillors by Party
Council Tax 2010/11
  • In Swindon, the average council tax per dwelling is £1,149 (South West £1,272, England £1,196), the third lowest for a district or unitary authority in the South West. Average Band D council tax is £1,393 (South West £1,500, England £1,439), the second lowest in the South West.
  • Due to the Government freeze on Council Tax these figures are almost identical to those for 2010/11.

CLG Local Government Finance Council Taxes 2011/12

Earnings and Economy

Gross Annual Pay
  • Median gross full-time annual pay among Swindon’s residents is £26,900, an increase of 0.8% on 2010. This is the 2nd highest for any unitary or county authority in the South West and higher than the medians for both the South West (£24,922), and England (£26,615).
  • The equivalent pay figure for all those working in Swindon is £26,779, indicating a slight tendency for higher earners to commute out of the area.
  • Median gross full-time annual pay for Swindon resident men is 33% higher than women. In the South West men’s pay is 29% higher and in England 25% higher.

ONS Annual Survey of Hours & Earnings (ASHE) 2011

Local Enterprise Zones (LEPs)
  • Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) are locally-owned partnerships between local authorities and businesses and play a central role in determining local economic priorities and undertaking activities to drive economic growth and the creation of local jobs.
  • Swindon is in a LEP with Wiltshire County Council. The table below summaries some key facts across local authorities within this LEP:

  Median Pay Enterprise 3-year Survival Rate (from 2007) School Qualifications* Median House Price Affordability** Crime Rate (per 1,000 pop)
Swindon  £26,900 65.10% 52.00% £141,250 6.5 43.1
Wiltshire £26,816 68.30% 60.30% £197,750 8.6 26.1
South West £24,922 65.90% 57.50% £181,500 8.2 33.8
England  £26,615 62.90% 58.30% £175,000 6.7 41.3
* % scoring 5+ GCSEs at grade A*-C, including Maths and English
** ratio of lowest quartile earnings to lowest quartile house prices

Productivity (GVA)
  • In 2009, Swindon’s Gross Value Added (GVA) per head was £27,616, the highest of the 12 NUTS3 areas in the South West. The value for the South West was £18,184 and England £20,498.
  • Between 2008 and 2009 there was a decrease in Swindon’s GVA per head, of -1.5% (South West -2.3%, England -2.2%).
  • Over the last 10 years Swindon’s GVA per head has increased by 26.4% (South West 43.2%, England 44.3%). This is the lowest increase for the 12 NUTS3 areas in the South West.

ONS Gross Value Added 1997-2009 (ONS Dec 11)

Enterprise Survival Rate
  • At the end of 2010 there were 25,685 VAT/PAYE registered businesses in the Swindon and Wiltshire LEP area, of which 6,020 were in Swindon.
  • During 2010, there was a decrease in the number of VAT registered businesses in Swindon, of -0.5% (South West -0.2%, England -1.9%).
  • The 3-year survival rate of enterprises that started in 2007 in Swindon is 65.1% (South West: 65.9%, England: 62.9%). The survival rate has increased from 62.5% in 2006.
  • Swindon had 685 new businesses in 2010, an increase of 12.3% from 2008 (South West -0.6%, England -0.7%).

ONS Business Demography 2010.
Data Limitations: Business Demography statistics exclude Agriculture

Employment

Unemployment and Claimant Rate
  • Swindon’s working age employment rate is higher than the rates for both the South West and England.

% of working age population

Jan 09 – Dec 09

Jan 10 – Dec 10

% point change

Swindon

77.2

76.7

-0.5

South West

74.2

73.6

-0.6

England

70.9

70.4

-0.5

  • The latest unemployment rate for Swindon is 7.1% of the economically active 16+ population (South West 6.0%, England: 7.6%).
  • Swindon’s claimant count rate has increased since one year ago, and is higher than the rate for the South West, but below that of England.
[ Zoom ]
Swindon Local Profile Total Claimants as Percentage of Working Age Populationq
Swindon Local Profile Total Claimants as Percentage of Working Age Populationq
ONS Claimant Count, Dec 2011

Employment by Sector
  • The largest proportion of jobs in Swindon is in manufacturing, wholesale and retail (26.9%) followed by information & communication and finance & insurance and professional, scientific & technical and business, administration & support (26.1%).
[ Zoom ]
Swindon Local Profile Employment by Sector
Swindon Local Profile Employment by Sector

Education and Skills

School Qualifications
  • Results for 2010/11 show 52.0% of pupils in the Swindon Local Education Authority (LEA) achieved 5+ GCSEs or equivalent at Grade A*-C including English & Maths by the end of Key Stage 4. This was lower than the rate for both the South West (57.5%) and England (58.3%), and the lowest for any LEA in the South West.
  • Swindon LEA’s latest Key Stage 2 pass rates for English and Maths, however, were higher than the England averages.
[ Zoom ]
Swindon Local Profile School Qualifications
Swindon Local Profile School Qualifications
DfE GCSE & KS2 2010/11 (prov)
NB: provisional figures are based on data provided by Awarding Bodies, subject to checking by schools, and so should be treated with caution. Figures may be different in future revised releases

School Absenteeism
  • The percentage of half days missed due to unauthorised absence by pupils in Swindon primary schools is higher than the South West average but lower than that for England.
  • At secondary school level the rate is about the same as the South West average but lower than England.

% half days missed,

unauthorised absence

Maintained

primary schools

Maintained

secondary schools

Swindon

0.55

1.11

South West

0.49

1.10

England

0.67

1.38

DfE Pupil Absence in Schools in England 2009/10

Workforce Qualifications
  • The proportion of the Swindon workforce with no qualifications (8.5%) is slightly higher than the South West rate (8.4%) but below the rate for England (11.1%) rates.
  • The proportion of workers qualified to NVQ 4 (degree & equiv.) and above (23.6%) is below the South West (31.5%) and England (31.1%) rates. This is the lowest rate for any county or unitary authority in the South West.
[ Zoom ]
Swindon Local Profile Highest Qualification
Swindon Local Profile Highest Qualification
ONS Annual Population Survey year ending Dec 2010

Health

Life Expectancy
  • Male life expectancy in Swindon is 78.4 years (South West: 79.2, England: 78.3).
  • Female life expectancy is 82.6 years (South West: 83.3, England: 82.3).
  • These were the 186th (for men) and 166th (for women) longest life expectancies out of 326 unitary and district authorities in England.

ONS Life Expectancy at Birth 3-year rolling average 2007-09

Infant Mortality
  • Swindon has an infant mortality rate higher than the South West, but lower than the England rate.
  • Since 2004-6 Swindon’s rate has fluctuated while the national and regional rates have decreased.
  • The latest data shows Swindon has the fifth highest rate of the 15 unitary and county authorities in the South West*.

Mortality all causes – Infants < 1 year

Deaths/1000 live births

2004-06

2005-07

2006-08

2007-09

Swindon

5.0

4.2

4.4

4.4

South West

4.4

4.2

4.1

4.0

England

5.0

4.9

4.8

4.7

National Centre for Health Outcomes Development 3-yr rolling average 2007-09. * excluding the Isles of Scilly

Teenage Conceptions
  • Swindon’s teenage conception rate is the 5th highest of the 15 South West county and unitary authorities.
  • The rate has fallen substantially from the previous 3 years, and is now lower than the England rate.

Conception rates per 1000 women aged 15-17

3-year rolling averages

2001-03

2004-06

2007-09

Swindon

50.8

48.7

39.3

South West

35.5

34.3

34.5

England

42.4

41.1

40.2

ONS 3-year rolling average 2007-09

NHS Trust Performance Indicators
  • The Care Quality Commission’s new Annual Health Check gives all NHS organisations a two-part annual performance rating.

Healthcare organisation

Overall quality of services*

Financial Managem’t score*

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Good

Good

Swindon PCT

Good

Good

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Fair

Good

Great Western  Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Weak

Fair

*excellent, good, fair, or weak

  • Of the 12 Ambulance Services in England, Great Western had the 4th lowest response rate for 8 minute response times and 2nd lowest rate for 19 minute response times in 2010/11. Both rates have improved from the previous year.

Ambulance response

time target – Category A

Great Western

England target

 Arrive within 8 minutes

74.3%

>75%

 Arrive within 19 minutes

95.1%

>95%

Care Quality Commission Annual Health Check 2008/09 / DH Ambulance Services, England 2010-11

Crime

Key Offences
  • In 2010/11 Swindon had the 4th highest overall crime rate of the 16 county and unitary authorities in the South West (including the Isles of Scilly) at 43.1 offences per 1,000 population.
  • The overall crime rate was higher than the South West average (33.8) and the average for England and Wales (41.3).
  • Overall crime in Swindon fell from a rate of 46.7 in 2009/10. This included decreases in violence against the person, sexual offences and burglary, although there was a increase in robbery and vehicle crime.
  • In 2010/11 Wiltshire Police ranked 3rd highest out of all 38 English force areas (for local people having confidence in the police and local councils dealing with issues (57.3% strongly agree/tend to agree, the England average was 52.3).

[ Zoom ]
Swindon Local Profile Offences per 1000
Swindon Local Profile Offences per 1000
* Burglary: Offences per 1,000 households
# Aggregates theft of a vehicle and theft from a vehicle
Home Office Crime in England & Wales 20010/11/British Crime Survey 2010/11

Indices of Multiple Deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2010
  • In the IMD 2010, 15 (13%) of Swindon’s 119 Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) are ranked among the most deprived 20% in England.
  • Eight of these are among the most deprived 10% in England, three in Penhill ward, three in Walcott, two in Parks and one in Gorsehill and Pinehurst.

[ Zoom ]
Swindon Local Profile IMD 2010
Swindon Local Profile IMD 2010

Housing

House Prices
  • In the first quarter (Q1) of 2010, the median price of a house in Swindon was £141,250, the second lowest among all South West county and unitary authorities.
  • This is over 22% less than the South West median (£181,500) and 19% below the England median (£175,000).
  • Swindon’s median house price was 10% less than the previous quarter, just under 3% lower than in Q1 of 2010.
[ Zoom ]
Swindon Local Profile Median House Prices
Swindon Local Profile Median House Prices
House Prices: DCLG Table 582

Affordability
  • Affordability ratios are calculated as house price divided by annual workplace-based earnings.
  • Using median house prices and earnings (2010 data) gives a median affordability ratio in Swindon of 6.0, the second lowest among South West counties and unitary authorities (South West 7.9, England 7.0)
  • The lower quartile (LQ) ratio based on lower quartile house prices and earnings better reflects the first time buyers’ market.  Swindon’s LQ ratio is 6.5 (South West 8.2, England 6.7).

DCLG Tables 576 and 577

Homelessness and Temporary Accommodation
  • In the financial year of 2010/11, Swindon accepted 92 households (1.1 per 1,000) as being homeless and in priority need (South West 1.5, England 2.0). Swindon had 256 households in temporary accommodation, 5 of which were in bed and breakfast accommodation.
  • In the same year in Swindon there were a total of 677 households where positive action was successful in preventing or relieving homelessness (8.1 per 1,000 households, South West 7.2, England 8.7).

DCLG Tables 784 and 792. For more information on homelessness prevention and relief data see:  http://bit.ly/pRGark

Planning and Land Use

Planning Decisions
  • In the year ending March 2011, Swindon made decisions on 1,279 planning applications, 91 of which were for major developments.
  • Time taken to decide applications by different development type are shown in the table below.

Speed of decision by development type

 

% major within 13 weeks

% minor within 8 weeks

% other within 8 weeks

Swindon

80

82

94

South West

64

72

84

England

66

75

86

CLG Statistics of Planning Applications Q1 to year ending Mar 11

Land Use
  • In 2007-10, 41% of new dwellings in Swindon were built on previously developed land. This was below the proportion for the South West (66%) and England (77%), but an increase from 32% in 2003-06.
  • In 2007-10, 46 new dwellings per hectare were built in Swindon (South West 38, England 43), an increase from 44 per hectare in 2003-06.

CLG Land Use Change in England to 2011

Environment

  • The South West Observatory and the Environment Agency have produced a series of Environment Profiles for local authorities in the South West. These can be found here. To download the Swindon Profile, see below.

Environmental Designations
  • The Swindon area covers part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
  • It also has a number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest including Coate Water Country Park.

Transport

Road Casualties
  • In 2010, there were 246 road casualties per 100,000 people in Swindon, lower than the rate for the South West (310) and England (355). This was the lowest rate for any county or unitary authority in the South West.
  • 12.7% of these casualties resulted in death or serious injury, higher than the South West and England rates (both 11.5%).

DfT Road Casualties Great Britain 2010

Travel to Work
  • The 2001 Census measured travel to work patterns. Swindon had a higher proportion of people driving a motor vehicle to work than either the South West or England.
[ Zoom ]
Swindon Local Profile Means of Travel to Work
Swindon Local Profile Means of Travel to Work
ONS Census 2001 Key Statistics

Download Graphs & Charts

Please use these files in presentations/reports, but remember to reference the South West Observatory, providing a hyperlink to this page where possible.

Useful Resources

General

Download this Local Profile as a PDF

Economy & Skills

Learn more about the Wiltshire & Swindon LEP Economic Profile

Social

Download APHO's Wiltshire Health Profile 

Download SWO's IMD 2010 Swindon Report

Infrastructure & Environment

Download SWO's Environment Profile for Swindon

State of the Environment Report Wiltshire & Swindon 2012

To download charts and graphs from this report see below.