BRACKNELL MP James Sunderland has been slammed for being “ill-informed” after calling for council bosses at bankrupt Slough to be taken to court.

The Conservative MP said officers at failing local authorities should have criminal procedures against them for their incompetence. He even used Slough as an example.

He was speaking to the Local Government Chronicle earlier this month and was discussing that there is excessive pay within councils, in which he cites Bracknell Forest Council’s chief executive Timothy Wheadon being on “a lot of money” (£188,000).

Mr Sunderland said: “We have got to reduce wastage and make sure we extract more from the individuals.

“Why are we tolerating excess and mediocrity? Look at Slough – it’s £1bn in debt. We should be taking these guys to court.”

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Slough Borough Council declared bankruptcy last year after it found out it was £760m in borrowing debt and has a £479m budget blackhole. It is needing to save £20m a year and sell up to £600m of its properties and land.

The government appointed commissioners to address the Labour-run council’s money problems in 2021.

Council leader James Swindlehurst (Lab: Cippenham Green) slammed the Bracknell MP’s comments as “fairly ill-informed” as the local authority never was £1bn in debt – but could have been the reality by 2024/25 if it didn’t change its budget and financial plans.

He also said its projected eyewatering £782m capitalisation direction, using capital money from asset sales to cover its revenue budget, has reduced to £369m.

Cllr Swindlehurst added: “Elected members have already agreed a larger programme of asset sales – with approximately £200m beyond our capitalisation requirement being used to reduce our borrowing broadly to the local authority average of £300m.

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“So, Mr Sunderland’s random musings bear little relation to the financial repair activity that has already taken place since July 2021.

“Government-appointed commissioners have provided oversight and an independent verification of the work going on to repair Slough Council’s finances – and they provide surety to the government department.

“I meet with the commissioners weekly and lead members sit on the various boards that the commissioners have established to monitor Slough’s financial repair. The commissioners produced a formal report after six months of intervention which was passed to Government in July, and their next report on Slough’s progress will be produced in December.

“I would suggest Mr Sunderland reads the commissioners’ December report when it is published, rather than making ill-informed and factually incorrect statements based on a misreading of information from over 18 months ago.”