THE Slough Liberal Democrats have called for more engagement with residents on major projects to fix the council’s “unprecedented failure”.

Residents will be having their say at the polls on Thursday, May 5, on who will be representing them until next year when the council swaps to all-out elections from 2023.

This will be the first election with Slough Borough Council’s £760m borrowing debt and £479m black hole on show. The council is also needing to make £20m of savings a year until 2028/29.

The other party manifestos can be found here:

Slough 2022 election: Labour pledges to fix council's financial crisis

Slough Conservatives vow to "kick out" 'Labour councillors

While the Lib Dems have no councillors sitting on Slough Borough Council, they are contesting four wards, including Cippenham Meadows.

The ruling Labour Group has been accused of “appalling mismanagement and reckless borrowing” that has created a deficit of a “magnitude which has not been seen before across the UK”.

The opposing Conservatives have been accused of potentially making the crisis “even worse” with their “unbelievably irresponsible” budget proposals in March 2021.

The Liberal Democrats have called for improved and effective consultation, co-operation, and counting from the Labour Group. They cited the controversial A4 bus lanes where it was introduced without consulting residents beforehand.

READ MORE: Slough 2022 election: Meet the candidates vying for your vote

They have also called for Labour to acknowledge and recognise the council’s unprecedented failures and the level of cuts needed to dig the town out of this hole.

Slough Lib Dem chairman Matthew Taylor, who standing as a candidate for Cippenham Meadows, said: “The Labour Party already has so many councillors it will control Slough Council whatever happens in May’s elections.

“So, it is important to elect some Lib Dem councillors who will highlight key issues, and promote effective consultation, counting and collaboration.

Elsewhere in the party’s manifesto, it states it is a ‘time for change’ and wants to add more affordable housing and reverse the decline of the town centre as well as improve air quality, the borough’s environment, and traffic management.