LABOUR managed to stave off their Conservative rivals and keep a majority hold at Slough Borough Council despite its financial troubles.

The ruling party managed to keep hold of 12 out of the 14 wards. The Conservatives managed to retain its safe seat Haymill and Lynch Hill but beat Labour at Colnbrook with Poyle by only 42 votes.

This is the new political makeup of Slough Borough Council:

This May’s election, which is the last where a third of councillors are elected, was the first where the council’s financial debt was out under the spotlight where it could have had a knock-on effect on Labour’s majority.

The council declared bankruptcy in July 2021 and is having to sell up to £600m-worth of its assets and make £20m savings every year until 2029 in order to fill its £479m black hole and reduce its £760m borrowing debt.

READ MORE: Local election results 2022: Reading, Wokingham, and Slough

Council leader James Swindlehurst told the Local Democracy Reporting Service said he expected to win most of the wards but thought it would be a close two-horse race in wards such as Colnbrook with Poyle, Langley Kedermister, and Langley St Mary’s.

When asked if he feared the council’s bankruptcy would harm Labour’s chance of winning, he said: “The risk would have been us [Labour] being defeated in more places and the fact that we haven’t is a testament of my team, who are absolutely amazing.

“But also, we’ve given the issues a proper airing and tried to offer more information to people. One of the challenges for the council is to do a bit more communication during the summer on everything that’s happened and we’re well on the way to the repair journey.”

Conservative leader Dexter Smith said he was “disappointed” to see the Tories didn’t win the deeply contested wards but believes the group will make more grounds next year when every single councillor is up at the all-out election.

He said: “We nearly did it this year and I am sure we will do it next year. I think people in those wards and across Slough will see a full slate and a team of people that bring those communities together.

“Maybe what we haven’t yet demonstrated to the people of Slough is that were a party of community.”

READ MORE: Will Slough Council's bankruptcy affect people's voting?

Labour candidate and former mayor Avatar Cheema lost out to her Conservative rival Cllr Puja Bedi by just 43 votes.

Reacting to her victory, Cllr Bedi said: “It was going to be a close call in Colnbrook but I worked really hard with everything I do in Colnbrook and I am glad the voters have seen what I am capable of doing and I will continue to champion for Colnbrook.”

Other close calls in the election include Wexham Lea where Labour councillor Haqeeq Dar beat his Conservative rival Ahmed Mubashir by 55 votes.