The history of local government in Swindon has its origins in the Middle Ages. After a long period of very little change, there followed a new era, beginning in the 19th century, of constant redevelopment and re-adjustment.

The first recorded Members of Parliament in Swindon's history are John Ildhelfe and Richard Pernaunt. In 1295 they were elected into the Model Parliament of King Edward I. Others noted are Richard Neel (the 43rd parliament of Edward I in 1304) and Thomas and Robert Crekkelade (Henry VI's first parliament in 1422).

Swindon became part of the constituency of Cricklade in 1660,^[1] the constituency later being represented by lords of the manor, members of the Goddard family, and also Daniel Gooch of the Great Western Works.

In 1918, the parliamentary constituency of Cricklade was abolished and the Swindon constituency was formed.

In 1997, the parliamentary constituency of Swindon was divided into North Swindon and South Swindon, each with one member of parliament.

From the 16th century to the 17th, Swindon was governed by a vestry – men who were elected from qualifying residents of means. They were mostly responsible for the work of the parish officers, financial matters affecting the church and the poor relief.

In 1849, Old Swindon petitioned unsuccessfully to be given a Local Board under the Public Health Act 1848 (11 & 12 Vict. c. 63), but the town remained a civil parish for a further fifteen years.

In 1864, following the possibility of Swindon and Highworth being merged, the Local Government Act 1858 was applied to both New and Old Swindon, with each area setting up its own local administration. The New Swindon Local Board held its first meeting on 27 April 1864 at the Mechanics' Institute, with the GWR's William Frederick Gooch as chairman. The Old Swindon Local Board met for the first time on 10 August 1865 at the Town Hall, Old Swindon, with a grocer, Phillip Hawe Mason, as chairman.

In 1889, Wiltshire County Council had been formed to take responsibility for several strategic local government services in the whole of Wiltshire. Swindon came under its authority at this level for more than a hundred years, until the creation of its own unitary authority in 1997. Until then, it was represented in the county council by several county councillors. One of these, John Lindow Calderwood, was chairman of the county council from 1949 to 1960.^[2]

The local boards remained in existence until 1894, when they were both converted into Urban District Councils. In 1900 the Swindon New Town and Old Swindon urban districts were merged, to form a single municipal borough of Swindon. On 1 April 1974, the Local Government Act 1972 created a non-metropolitan district of Thamesdown, consisting of Swindon along with the former Highworth Rural District. The name alludes to the two natural boundaries of the region, the River Thames to the north and the Wiltshire and Marlborough Downs to the south. The name itself was described as "absurd and universally unpopular".^[1]

On 1 April 1997, Thamesdown became a unitary authority independent of Wiltshire County Council, following a review by the Local Government Commission for England. The resulting new authority was renamed the Borough of Swindon soon afterwards, but the name 'Thamesdown' is still used for some purposes. The local bus company was called Thamesdown Transport until its sale by the Council in February 2017 to the Go-Ahead Group.

In 1993 Swindon Borough Council and the Swindon Chamber of Commerce unveiled a joint public relations venture "Swindon – City for the 21st Century" to raise awareness of the town and gauge public opinion for a potential bid for city status. The partnership mounted an exhibition in London but the project stalled.^[1]

By the 1990s, Swindon had become one of the most important centres along the M4 Corridor. During this period the town continued to attract new, predominantly hi-tech, companies to the town and encouraged relocation. However the town's infrastructure and amenities did not develop to the same level.

The borough council made formal bids for city status in 1999 and 2002 but both were unsuccessful.

To overcome the problems raised at the failed city bids, the town council invited an Urban Regeneration Company into the town to oversee the blueprint for revitalising much of the town centre.^[8]