Your community of Walcot and Park North needs an independent Chair to lead the Pride in Walcot and Park North programme.

The government has awarded £20 million over 10 years to be spent for the benefit of people in Walcot East and parts of Park North. The catch? Local people need to choose how their money is spent - not politicians, not the council, but a board of local people who care about their community.

We need a person who cares deeply about Walcot and Park North to chair this board. The Chair will ensure local people’s voices are heard and the £20 million is well spent on local priorities to bring real, visible change and pride to your community.

The Chair should have the leadership skills required to oversee the Neighbourhood Board, able to be impartial and ensure all voices at the board and within the community are heard as the board decides the 10 year strategic plan for the £20 million programme. The board and the Chair will be supported by employed officers who will deliver the programme.

The Chair will be someone who is from the area, who is living/working in the area, who holds a prominent role in the community, or who has a passion for Walcot and Park North. You might be the head of a local charity, a community leader, faith leader, a teacher, a GP, or a leader of a sports club.

If you’re thinking, “I care about my community”, “I’m respected by my peers”, “I want to make sure this money is spent properly on real local priorities”, this might be the position for you.

If you worry “I’ve never run a £20million programme before”, please get in touch. Relevant skills and experience are desirable, but a great community champion with strong communication and leadership skills, and a determination to involve local people, can be provided extra support or training as needed.

This is a voluntary role, similar to that of a school governor, with expenses covered and is expected to require a time commitment of the equivalent of 2 - 4 days per month. However, the Chair will be receive £30 per hour as an honorarium.

Applicants should submit their CV and covering letter to letstalk@swindon.gov.uk by the close of Sunday 15th March, 2026, with interviews held over the following two weeks. Your covering letter / supporting statement should outline your connection to the area, relevant experience and skills.

If you would like to have an informal, non-committal chat about the role, please get in contact: Heidi.Alexander.MP@parliament.uk

Further information may also be found here: www.heidialexander.org.uk/s/Role-Profile-Independent-Chair-Walcot-and-Park-North.pdf