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(From left) Cllrs James Swindlehurst and Wayne Strutton
THE leader of Slough Borough Council has been urged to resign over ‘indefensible’ financial failures following two damning audit reports. The opposing Conservatives have demanded councillor James Swindlehurst (Lab: Cippenham Green) step down as leader after external auditors Grant Thornton LLP revealed concerns about the way the council governs its finances. In their report on the 2018/19 accounts, they highlighted:
insufficient capacity and skills within the finance department
inadequate preparation of financial statements
inadequate general and earmarked revenue reserves
inadequate governance, monitoring and controls over our outside groups and companies The Tories panned the Labour administration over the ‘deeply alarming’ reports, saying it will be residents who will be paying for Labour’s ‘mess’ and it raises serious questions about the council’s finances and financial governance.
Slough Borough Council
A NEW Slough Mayor, deputy, and cabinet members have been announced in the leader’s reshuffle. Councillor Mohammed Nazir (Lab: Baylis and Stoke), who was the lead member for housing and community safety, will become Mayor for the 2021/22 municipal year.
Cllr Mohammed Nazir Cllr Dilbagh Parmar (Lab: Cippenham Meadows) will become his deputy. As Cllr Nazir has been recommended to become Mayor, the leader of the council, councillor James Swindlehurst, has recommended Cllr Christine Hulme (Lab: Central) to be promoted to a cabinet role of children’s services, lifelong learning and skills. The children’s services portfolio was once held by councillor Martin Carter (Britwell and Northborough) but is now in charge of customer services and corporate support.
as they maintain a grip of the council. The Slough Labour Group managed to retain most of the borough’s wards, and gained in Upton, with 11 councillors out of 14 voted in. The Conservatives had two councillors voted in and councillor Madhuri Bedi retained her seat but this time as an Independent. Reacting to the local Labour’s win, Slough’s MP Tan Dhesi said: “I am extremely grateful for the good people of Slough for continuing to bestow their trust and I can assure you that those 11 councillors will be working very hard on your behalf to make sure that they make our community a better, safer place so that you can all be proud of them and you can be proud of Slough.
Illustrative drawings of Slough town centre
A LEGENDARY design company has been appointed to tell Slough’s story as a future “vibrant, thriving, and innovative” town.
The council has appointed HemingwayDesign, a multi-disciplinary design agency founded by English designer Wayne Hemingway, a two-year contract to sell Slough as a place to live and work as well as to shine a light on its local communities and diverse cultures. This appointment is to share the Slough 2040 vision, which was approved by cabinet earlier this year, and outlines the council’s ambition for the future of the town over the next 15 years.