A CRISIS-HIT council has been told to “step up” after a minister found its leadership’s attitude towards its recovery to be “wholly unacceptable”.
The government-appointed commissioners, who have overseen the Labour-run Slough Borough Council’s (SBC) recovery since December 2021, submitted their second report on December 22.
Local government minister Lee Rowley MP outlined their report in Parliament on Thursday, March 16, and told the local authority it “must step up” its progress.
Lead commissioner Max Caller CBE and finance commissioner Margaret Lee, both of whom have left their commissioner roles, highlighted SBC’s ‘very slow’ recovery and that the council is ‘months behind’ to where it should be now.
READ MORE: Slough Borough Council criticised over 'very slow' recovery
SBC effectively declared bankruptcy in 2021 after it racked up a £760m borrowing bill and £357m deficit. It has increased council tax by 9.99 per cent, which is five per cent higher than the legal limit, and is selling up £600m of assets.
The commissioners highlighted that there is a ‘real sense that ‘many in leadership roles do not see leading and modelling corporate improvement as their overriding responsibility but something they have to do’.
Lee Rowley said this is “wholly unacceptable,” adding there needs to be a “fundamental shift” in the attitude and behaviour of the council and its leadership.
Mr Rowley said in Parliament: “The intervention at Slough remains challenging. I strongly urge the leadership in Slough to consider the findings of commissioners’ report and reflect on what more they could be doing to not only meet the requirements of the statutory directions, but to drive forward necessary changes. Things must change.”
READ MORE: Commissioners leave cash-strapped Slough Borough Council
In a letter to the council’s only remaining commissioner, Gavin Jones, Mr Rowley said the second report makes for “concerning reading” as it highlights that there has been an ‘unacceptable lack of urgency and focus’ by SBC.
The council’s 2018/19 accounts were given an unprecedented ‘disclaimer of opinion’ by external auditors due to poor recordkeeping and missing information. The minister said it was ‘disappointing and the reasons behind it very concerning’.
SBC council leader James Swindlehurst said they acknowledge they have a long way ahead on their recovery journey.
He said: “I was briefed by the commissioners’ about the contents of their report when it was sent to government in December.
“The new corporate Leadership team have since become embedded, and they and I have worked hard in the period since then to further drive improvement, to develop a programme of organisational change and generate significant receipts from asset sales.
“In the three months since the report was submitted, the council has continued to work at pace and now has a complete, permanent executive team dedicated to our council, and to leading and modelling corporate improvement. A transformation team has been formed and recently strengthened to ensure the right capability and capacity exists to drive our recovery journey.”
He added: “Our financial position remains challenging. But we are all committed to Slough, our town and its residents and we will now continue to work towards financial recovery, furthering the significant progress which has already been made.”
“As a council we are well aware of the journey ahead and are committed to the recovery of the council.”
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