Financial position, political instability, and still-developing cultural change programme pose risk to recovery: Slough Commissioners

Jim McMahon's comments came in a written ministerial statement published on Wednesday (9 July) and were based on the findings of the sixth report published by Slough's commissioner team, which found progress in a number of areas, but also suggested that the council "has struggled to progress its recovery at speed".

Slough has been in intervention since December 2021.

McMahon elected to extend the intervention process in November 2024 for a further two years.

Writing in their report, the commissioner team - which is made up of lead commissioner Gavin Jones, managing director commissioner Will Tuckley, finance commissioner Denise Murray and commissioner Gerard Curran - said Slough's problem areas include recruitment, a long period of financial discovery, and a "degree of political instability".

The team's report, first seen by McMahon in April, also blamed delayed improvement on organisational disruption caused by a "flawed restructure", which it said "led to a major loss of corporate memory and resulted in many broken service delivery systems".

Despite the setbacks, the report praised new leadership at the council, which it said was beginning to have a positive impact as well as an "increasingly confident Cabinet".

It also highlighted that the corporate leadership team (CLT) is now comprised of permanent appointments and that the wider senior leadership team is largely in place.

The report continued: "There is still much to do. Service delivery standards are variable across the council and in some cases fall significantly short of resident expectations.

"Whilst acknowledging that progress is now being made, this remains fragile. The financial position, a degree of political instability, poor or absent data and a still developing culture change programme, all pose risks to Slough's continued recovery.

"In addition, organisational effort is still heavily focussed on tactical issues, where a better balance of focus is needed on medium/longer term strategic change, to secure sustainability."

McMahon acknowledged that the report highlighted progress in a number of areas, including the appointment of a permanent Corporate Leadership Team and improvements in audit and scrutiny functions.

He added: "However, with the intervention three and a half years in, a clearer articulation of the future vision is still required and a substantial transformation program still needs to be designed and delivered, including a Target Operating Model to evidence the council can live within its means.

"It is clear that the council must now accelerate their development and it is vital that both officers and members continue to work together to deliver the full range of reforms required to meet the Best Value duty. I look forward to receiving the Commissioners' update in September."

Will Tuckley, managing director commissioner and chief executive at Slough, said: "We can demonstrate where change is happening and the benefits these improvements are bringing.

"But the report also shows where more effort is needed to generate the pace and success required for the council's future."

He added: "The corporate leadership team and I are completely focused on the work required to drive the council's recovery and are firmly committed to the borough."

Cllr Dexter Smith, leader of Slough, meanwhile said: "The situation we are dealing with has been years in the making and so it will take years to resolve. I remain dedicated to our borough."

Adam Carey