I want to say a big thank you to all the council staff and the emergency services involved in helping some 300 residents from Mosaic Apartments on Slough High Street after the fire last week.

Though these were private tenants, the council had to provide emergency accommodation overnight and, for those with complex needs, temporary accommodation until they could return to their homes once made safe and secure and after the source of the fire had been fully investigated.

The council took the lead in dealing with the housing needs of those evacuated and is grateful to local hotels for their support. Our staff worked through the first night and on over the bank holiday weekend, as required.

Staff from across the council and Slough Children First stepped up to help those evacuated, assessing needs, playing games with the children and providing refreshments.

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They even offered some clothing of their own to those who had left apartments with only what they were wearing to bed. This shows the council at its best – looking after those in need when times are hardest.

Of course, we kept an account of costs. Now the council is handing over to the landlords and their insurers. It is not always possible to predict what the council will be asked to do next. We must be flexible and responsive, prepared to think outside the box.

The council now tries to do this with our everyday business. Recently, some have said that we have already taken decisions about the future of The Curve and our library service. We have not.

I greatly value The Curve and its contribution to cultural life in Slough. But it costs £1m just to maintain the building each year – and this is just the basic costs, not the cost of running the services.  

The council has to live within its means and so we need to find an alternative way to keep The Curve open.

We already have a great partnership with cultural organisations. My aspiration is we can also partner with a university provider, bringing higher education back to the centre of Slough – a win, win.