Acknowledge the depth of the financial crisis

What a pity. I am afraid Preston Brooker (Viewpoint, 1 March) yet again fails to understand, or at least acknowledge, the key point that the financial mess left by Slough’s Labour councillors is so much worse than that in most other English councils.

There are 318 principal councils in England. Virtually all have faced the cuts in funding by the Tory Government. But, how many have had to be saved from bankruptcy by Government intervention such as sending in Commissioners? Just six, including Slough.

Reports from the Council’s auditors, Grant Thornton, show a devastating list of failures by Slough Council under Labour rule. By constantly failing to acknowledge the depth of the crisis they created, Slough’s Labour politicians are damaging Slough’s chances of recovery.

It is the long-term consequences of the failed Labour leadership, and how the town recovers, that matter to Slough residents. In 2021 the Labour Leader James Swindlehurst wrote to everyone in Slough promising the Council would use the former ICI Wexham Road site “to provide in excess of 400 social and affordable homes for Slough families.”

What happened? The Labour Council sold the site, and the enormous data centre now appearing there instead of the desperately needed homes is a constant reminder that the financial failures of the Labour-run council are now perpetuating Slough’s housing crisis.

The new Tory Leader of Slough Council explained in Feb 2024 that the budget he had inherited from Labour for 2023/24 allocated less than 10% of the actual figure required to provide emergency shelter for families threatened with homelessness in Slough.

So, what has been the response to the Tory councillors stepping up and ensuring families, including with children, are not left to sleep on the streets of Slough? Instead of apologising for their inadequate budget, in this and other fields, Labour have been putting out leaflets in Slough attacking the Tory overspending.

The Commissioners sent in to ensure Slough Council takes the long-term measures needed to survive, made it clear that as no party has a majority on Slough Council, the largest party, the Tories, need the support of my Lib Dem colleagues to tackle the inherited severe crisis.

It will be tough to get Slough Council to a situation of financial stability, from the position in which the Labour Council was spending 78% more than it could afford. It would be helpful to Slough residents if Slough’s Labour politicians supported the necessary long-term efforts to resolve the crisis, in their campaigning as well as in the Council.

Josephine Hanney, Langley Lib Dems