THE whereabouts of Slough Borough Council’s chief executive Josie Wragg is still unknown – and senior officers still won’t reveal when she will return.

Questions have been looming across the town on why Ms Wragg has been a no-show at meetings and at the council’s headquarters for over a month.

Opposition councillors have said they were only given a “basic outline” on where she is and have not been given any further details.

Council leader James Swindlehurst and the authority’s chief finance officer Steven Mair only stated she is “away from work” and could not reveal any more details than that.

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Mr Mair said: “The chief executive is away from work and that is all we can and will be saying on that issue.”

It is thought the future of Ms Wragg will be determined at an investigating and disciplinary committee meeting next week. The council could not confirm this.

The leader has previously said Ms Wragg could not attend the full council meeting on September 23 due to ‘planned leave’ and had to go home for an “emergency” on the night of the audit meeting the previous week.

In her absence, Alan Sinclair, the council’s director of adults & communities, will be the acting chief executive while a board of senior officers will be making decisions on Ms Wragg’s behalf.

Meanwhile, the local authority is facing two damning reports after it found “years of inadequate corporate governance and actions,” while the council will need “ongoing oversight” in its financial plans.

 

Council Leader james Swindlehurst Pictures: Mike Swift.

Council Leader james Swindlehurst Pictures: Mike Swift.

Cllr Swindlehurst refused to step down as leader, saying he already offered to resign back when the section 114 was issued in July, effectively declaring bankruptcy, but was told to “clean up” the financial mess by his Labour group.

His term as leader is due to expire in November and he has “not thought” about a four-year mandate nor his future as a councillor when he is due to stand again in March 2023, he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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He said: “My focus is to get us as quickly and soundly as possible back to being in a place where we are proud in the work that we do and can show that to the public.

“There will be lots of noise, I am sure, arising from all of this – but I want people to know I take the findings absolutely seriously. I come in every day to work hard to try and resolve this as my group asked me and tasked me to do.

“I serve at their pleasure and if they choose to dispense of me, I will heed their instruction.”