Even the majority of Labour councillors agree with Lib Dem Robert Plimmer’s criticisms of Slough’s Labour-run Council: it’s time for a change

After the local elections in May 2016 the majority of Slough's Labour councillors agreed Robert Plimmer was right in his criticisms of Slough's Labour-run Council. As Robert explained in a letter published in the local papers: 'When I stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate in Cippenham Meadows Ward on 5th May, I criticised many of the things done by the Labour-run Council including their appalling mismanagement of Slough's Children's Services.'

The situation was so bad that central government had to step in and take over. Robert also explained that the whole episode highlighted the dangers of having a Labour-run Council that did not allow proper scrutiny, or listen to members of the public. After the elections in May, the majority of Labour councillors, therefore, rejected their leader, Cllr Robert Anderson, who then resigned along with most of his colleagues who had been running Slough Council.

In his campaign in Cippenham Meadows Robert Plimmer had highlighted one of the key Liberal Democrat policies for Slough: 'To help boost fitness the Council must take actions such as reversing their massive rise in charges for hiring sports pitches.'

Robert, therefore, called on the new leader of Slough Council 'to consider reversing Cllr Anderson's crazy decision in 2015 to massively increase charges for hiring Council owned sports pitches which has led to a big drop in the number of games played on those pitches'. Robert also highlighted the importance of the leaders of the Council listening to other people. Robert said: 'A massive majority for one party all too often leads to a complacent and arrogant leadership. Slough has had enough of that over the past 8 years.'

Robert's full letter can be seen below.

Dear Editor,

I attended the Extraordinary Annual Council Meeting in the Centre in the Farnham Road on Monday 6th June when the Leader of Slough Borough Council Cllr Robert Anderson resigned along with his Cabinet colleagues after 8 consecutive years of controlling his Labour administration.

This whole episode has highlighted the great dangers of having a Labour-run Council, whoever is in control of it, that does not allow proper scrutiny by backbench and opposition councillors and listen to members of the public.

When I stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate in Cippenham Meadows Ward on 5th May, I criticised many of the things done by the Labour-run Council including their appalling mismanagement of Slough's Children's Services, the Heart of Slough project and their unwanted traffic schemes.

It now transpires that a majority of Labour councillors agreed with me and they have now rejected their own leader who made these decisions.

For the good of our town, I hope the new Labour leadership of Slough Council does listen to others and reverse some of the bad decisions made by the Labour administration under Councillor Anderson's leadership.

I would welcome the new leader Cllr Sohail Munawar to consider reversing Cllr Anderson's crazy decision in 2015 to massively increase charges for hiring Council owned sports pitches which has led to a big drop in the number of games played on those pitches, as well as reducing the revenue coming in to the Council.

This whole sorry state of affairs within the Slough Labour Party over the past month shows that it is not sensible for Slough, or any other unitary local authority, to have an overwhelming majority of councillors from one party. A massive majority for one party all too often leads to a complacent and arrogant leadership. Slough has had enough of that over the past 8 years.

Robert Plimmer,
Cippenham Lib Dems