Slough Borough Council 'should be at centre' of new merger
A council should be at the "centre" of any potential merger, one of its leading councillors has said.Slough Borough Council is looking at a range of options to merge with other councils under a major government-led shakeup.It could potentially merge with a west London borough, with other councils in Berkshire, or could be part of a Thames Valley-wide strategic authority.Gurcharan Manku, a senior member of Slough Borough Council, said he wanted the authority to be a leading part of what might follow.
The authority is hundreds of millions of pounds in debt and recently put its former HQ up for sale in an effort to claw back debt.Mr Manku said: "My doubts are, in Slough we are a unique borough with a diverse population, young population, proximity to Heathrow, a great trading estate."He said the area had "a very good history of industrialisation, innovation and development".
He added: "We need to take advantage of that and ensure we are at the centre of any unitary authority or strategic authority we go for."My fear is that with our critical problems or issues we have, like the debt issue, and the health inequalities issue."These are the issues we need to tackle when we negotiate with other authorities."
Multiple options
In December the government announced plants for councils to combine forces as part of large strategic authorities, in an effort to strengthen local government.Each would have a combined population of at least 1.5m people, and be in charge of large-scale transport, infrastructure, and development.But so-called smaller principle authorities would be responsible for more localised public services and would cover populations of at least 500,000 people.Slough Borough Council's cabinet heard of multiple options at a meeting on Monday.They included a merger with a west London borough or boroughs, but also with Windsor and Maidenhead and Bracknell Forest Councils.Council leaders in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Swindon have also met to consider whether they could join up under a new strategic authority.Council leader Dexter Smith said changes could help his authority's "very sizable economic base".He added that talks would not take place "behind closed doors" as residents would be consulted on proposed changes, and councillors would get a chance to debate them.
You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
14 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Cleverly: 'Tory government GRR block shows value of Union'
MSPs passed the Gender Recognition Reform Bill at the end of 2022 by 86 votes to 39 on a cross-party basis. The legislation was intended to speed up and simplify the process for a trans person to obtain a gender recognition certificate and change their legal sex. Under the current system, this takes at least two years, involves a medical diagnosis and is only available from the age of 18. The Holyrood Bill would have reduced the waiting time to six months, scrapped the need for medical diagnosis and lowered the age threshold to 16. After it was passed, the then Scottish Secretary, Alister Jack, used Section 35 to ultimately prevent the Bill from gaining Royal Assent. In his statement to the Commons explaining his reasons, he said the legislation would have a 'serious adverse impact' on, among other things, the operation of UK-wide equality law. Alister Jack (Image: PA) Sir James said: 'I do think that this issue has been a prime example of the importance of the Union, because this issue was clearly spiralling out of control—badly out of control—and down in Westminster, looking at the debate, looking at this information, which was becoming more and more surreal, had it not been that really close working relationship between Alister Jack, the Scottish Conservatives, and the number of people fighting to protect women's rights in Scotland, we in Westminster would not have been able to intervene to try and press the pause and think-about-it button—because that is all we did. 'It was not imposing a Westminster solution on Scotland. It was about pressing the pause button and saying, hang on a second, this just sounds weird to us. You should think again and think more carefully. 'That is what the relationship was. And because of that close working relationship, I think we are now on a road towards a more thoughtful, pragmatic and sustainable solution—one which works for trans people, works for women, whatever sexual orientation—works for gay men. 'I think we can get there, and I genuinely hope we can get there, but we have got to make sure that we do not lose sight of some of the fundamental reasons why a number of us got into politics in the first place, which was to protect the vulnerable, give voice to the voiceless, and make sure that people do not make foolish decisions in the heat of the moment. "I am glad that we in Westminster—Alister Jack in particular—played a small part in helping to inject a little bit of thoughtfulness in this conversation.'
Business News Wales
a day ago
- Business News Wales
OEUK Welcomes £500m Government Investment in Hydrogen Infrastructure
Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) has welcomed the UK Government's announcement of more than £500 million to support the development of the UK's first network for hydrogen transport and storage. It said the investment confirmed in the Spending Review was a major boost to the UK's ambitions to become a clean energy superpower and to support industrial regions including Teesside, Merseyside, the Humber and Scotland. The development of a hydrogen transport and storage network is essential for building a UK-wide market, it said, connecting production with end users such as power stations and industrial clusters. This infrastructure is the foundation for scaling up both hydrogen produced with carbon capture and hydrogen produced with electrolysis, and for repurposing much of the UK's existing natural gas infrastructure. The funding can help unlock long-term secure jobs in manufacturing, engineering, and the wider energy supply chain, OEUK said. OEUK's members are already investing in carbon capture and hydrogen projects that could support thousands of skilled roles across the country, particularly in places where economic renewal is needed most. But to make hydrogen competitive, early investments must be supported by a clear regulatory framework and investable business models, it added. OEUK is now calling on Government to work with industry to ensure this funding has the best possible impact and accelerates enabling policies that reduce costs and de-risk private investment Hydrogen will play a vital role in decarbonising sectors such as steel, glass, ceramics, and refining but it will only succeed if a stable market is created that attracts investors, it said. OEUK's Head of Energy Policy, Enrique Cornejo, said: 'If we are serious about getting to net zero, hydrogen must be a key piece of the puzzle for decarbonising heavy industry, power, and enabling energy storage but it must be made affordable and attractive to the companies that need to bring it to life. 'Because it is expensive the government is right to focus deployment in sectors where it offers most value. For hydrogen to become competitive there must be cost reductions which will only be achieved if we initiate early investments and learn from them. 'Developing a strong hydrogen sector is critical to our industrial future, and the UK's oil and gas supply chain has the skills and capabilities to accelerate progress.'
Scotsman
a day ago
- Scotsman
The 6 best UK cities for enjoying the single life, with great clubs and pubs, vibrant culture and cheap rent
You may want to settle down and start a family one day, but until then you probably want to make the most of your freedom. That could mean partying the night away before your clubbing days are behind you and your weary body can no longer cope with the hangovers. Or it might mean appreciating some fine art without a young tyke clinging to your leg and trying to drag you to the nearest playground. We've compared cities around the UK, looking at those which are best for nightlife, according to Capital on Tap, but also boast excellent museums, galleries and historic landmarks to visit. We've also taken into account the culinary scene, including the number of Michelin-starred or Michelin-recommended restaurants, plus the quality of the retail therapy, including independent shops. And because you'll want to have as much money as possible to spend making the most of your singledom, we've only included cities where the average monthly rent is below the UK-wide figure of £1,335. Below is our pick of the best UK cities in which to live while enjoying the single life, based on all the above criteria. Do you agree with our list, and what cities, if any, would you add? Do you have a house hunting story or tips to share? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers. 🏠 Whether you're planning to move or just curious what your home is worth, Purplebricks offers free valuations and fixed-fee selling support from local experts. 👉 Request a valuation or browse current listings in your area. 1 . Belfast - 6th Belfast is one of the best cities in the UK for nightlife, according to Capital on Tap, with 2.4 clubs and 3.8 pubs and bars per 10,000 people. It scored 4.3/5 for its nightlife and also has some great restaurants, including two with Michelin stars, along with superb museums, theatres and galleries. The average monthly rent there is £1,076, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, which is well below the UK average of £1,335. All these things combined make it the sixth best city in the UK for enjoying the single life. |) Photo:Photo Sales 2 . Newcastle upon Tyne - 5th Newcastle is the eighth best city in the UK for nightlife, according to Capital on Tap, with 2.1 clubs and a whopping 6.5 pubs and bars per 10,000 people. It scored 4.3/5 for its nightlife and also has a great foodie scene, including two Michelin-starred restaurants. Cultural highlights include the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Laing Art Gallery and Newcastle Castle. The average monthly rent there is £1,073, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, which is well below the UK average of £1,335. All these things combined make it the fifth best city in the UK for enjoying the single life. |Photo:Photo Sales 3 . Leeds - 4th Leeds is rated 4.3/5 for its nightlife by Capital on Tap, with 1.4 clubs and a 4.0 pubs and bars per 10,000 people. It also has some great restaurants, including the Michelin-recommended Ox Club, and is a cultural powerhouse of the north, being the only city outside London with both a resident opera and ballet company. Add to that four major theatres, a top arena and a packed cultural calendar, including the popular Light Night Leeds festival, and it's easy to see why you'll never find yourself short of things to do here. The average monthly rent in Leeds is £1,104, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, which is well below the UK average of £1,335. All these things combined make it the fourth best city in the UK for enjoying the single life. Leeds is pictured here during the Light Night Leeds festival in 2021, with visitors seen walking beneath the artwork Dear Leeds by James Clancy. | OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images Photo: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images Photo Sales 4 . Exeter - 3rd Exeter has 0.8 clubs and 3.4 pubs and bars per 10,000 people, according to Capital on Tap, with an average rating of 4.4/5 for its nightlife. There's so much to see in this beautiful, historic city, from exploring its famous underground passages to browsing the wealth of fascinating exhibits at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum. Exeter's also been voted one of the best places in the UK for eating out, with Stage among the many excellent restaurants it boasts. The average monthly rent in Exeter is £1,288, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, which is below the UK average of £1,335. All these things combined make it the third best city in the UK for enjoying the single life. | English Heritage/Photo: English Heritage/Photo Sales
