SWINDON has moved a step closer to gaining thousands of civil service jobs.

The Government is considering moving one of its big Whitehall departments to the regions in a drive to save money.

Today a powerful development body promised to campaign for Swindon to win a share of the jobs.

The South West Regional Development Agency (RDA), which works to improve economic development and regeneration, has announced that Swindon is one of its priority locations.

The others are Gloucester, Bristol, Taunton, Exeter and Plymouth.

In the initial wave, up to 20,000 positions could be on the move, but many more could follow.

An inquiry into the relocation of civil service jobs, due out today, is likely to trigger a flurry of lobbying from regions clamouring for their share.

South West RDA spokesman John Taynton said: "The south west is a good place for them to come and Swindon is one of the places to consider.

"We want to make sure a proportion of these 20,000 jobs come this way and we will have to be pitching very hard to civil servants and ministers."

As well as offering sufficient office space, the chosen locations would also have to be judged capable of providing housing and other infrastructure.

The winning towns and cities could expect to reap the benefits of additional support jobs and economic activity.

"Any number of jobs relocating to an area like Swindon would bring in extra spending power to that area," said Mr Taynton.

Swindon Council leader Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawns) said once a decision to relocate had been finalised the council would be seeking to present its case to the RDA with the "utmost urgency".

He suggested that the Great Western Railway Conservation Area in Churchward, soon to be the site of the new National Trust headquarters, might provide a good base for incoming government jobs.

In January the Evening Advertiser reported that a survey ranked Swindon high as a potential relocation site because of its educated population, close proximity to London and ability to recruit and retain workers.

The Government wants to add to current departments already in the south west, which include the Ministry of Defence procurement agency in Abbey Wood, Bristol; the Meteorological Office, Exeter and GCHQ in Cheltenham.

Andy Tate