SWINDON council has been named “most innovative” in the country – for its troublestruck wi-fi scheme.

Under the heading “Pioneers for today for the solutions of tomorrow”, the Local Government Chronicle lauds both chief executive Gavin Jones and leader Rod Bluh (Con, Dorcan) for tackling problem families – and because they “are bringing free broadband to the town”.

It lists them as the most innovative council leaders in the country, and 13th most influential figures overall.

The latter entry reads: “Swindon’s Digital City project aims to install free broadband internet access across the borough, which has been done in the Highworth area.”

But the ranking has left one observer virtually “speechless”. Long-time critic Chris Watts, IT consultant and Labour’s candidate for Eastcott, became involved in politics after looking into the wi-fi scheme in 2009.

He said: “To win an award for a project that’s failed to meet any target or objectives to date seems like a pretty good feat to me.

“It just goes to show the value of marketing and spin over actually achieving anything.”

In naming the pair the “13th most influential voices in the sector”, the magazine says: “A few years ago, Swindon was an underperforming council.

“Now under chief executive Gavin Jones and leader Roderick Bluh, it is leading on two innovations, in family policy and in technology.

“Their work on complex families has given its social services team a new approach, by looking at each family in the round and selecting different professions as appropriate to work with them.

“Swindon’s Digital City project aims to install free broadband internet access across the borough, which has been done in the Highworth area.”

But council leader Coun Bluh said: “I don’t have a problem with this, to be honest. It’s the thinking behind the project and what it’s trying to deliver, not the problems with delivery to date.

“Just because there have been problems with the roll-out doesn’t mean it’s fundamentally flawed.

“People think Swindon is doing exactly the right thing with this project. This is a project that’s got legs, and it will walk. And hopefully run.”

The Local Government Chronicle is a business-to-business magazine for top public sector staff.

When contacted to ask what the criteria was that they had used to judge the list, the Adver was told the editor dealing with it was on a mountain in Nepal.