Government takes further steps to address serious council failures in Slough

  • Local Government Minister Paul Scully expands government intervention in failing council
  • New powers granted to Commissioners who will be given control over recruitment of senior officers at the Council
  • Move comes following report from Commissioners outlining ‘unprecedented’ challenges at Slough Borough Council

The government will expand its intervention in Slough Borough Council after persistent failure to deliver best value for local taxpayers, Minister Scully will confirm today (1 September 2022).

A report from the Commissioners submitted in June of this year revealed the Council was facing an “unprecedented” scale of challenge, following years of financial mismanagement, piling debt and poor accounting practices.

The Council was also plagued by governance issues, and despite the best efforts of Commissioners, insufficient progress had been made to deliver proper value for money for Slough’s taxpayers.

To ensure Council staff have the best support possible in place, commissioners are now being granted further powers to oversee the recruitment of the Council’s most senior members of staff.

Local Government Minister, Paul Scully, said:

The people of Slough deserve a council that can deliver for their needs and drive long-lasting improvements and a brighter future.

Given the scale of the challenges set out in the Commissioners report, I am granting further powers to Commissioners to help implement much-needed changes.

I am confident that these expanded powers will support the Council so they can drive forward long-term change and protect hardworking taxpayers.

In July this year, the Levelling Up Secretary confirmed he was minded-to expand the intervention in Slough. Having considered the representations made after this announcement, the decision to expand the intervention has now been confirmed.

Lead Commissioner Max Caller CBE said:

I am grateful to the Levelling Up Minister for confirming the expansion of the Directions and his support for Commissioners’ work at Slough Borough Council.

There is much to do and no easy answers. Getting the right officer team in place quickly is an important step in the Council’s recovery and in delivering best value for Slough’s taxpayers.

On 1 December 2021, Commissioners were sent into Slough Borough Council to address serious financial and management failures at the request of the former Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

On 28 July, the Levelling Up Secretary announced that he was minded-to expand the existing intervention in Slough Borough Council following the Commissioners’ report on the failings in the Council. A period of representations was held which closed on 11 August. The representations received agreed with or were neutral toward the expansion of powers for Commissioners and the Secretary of State has duly granted them.

See all documents on the intervention at Slough Borough Council.