'UNWIELDY’ plans to grow Slough’s economy have been panned by councillors for failing to be understandable and engaging to residents.

Councillors at a virtual overview and scrutiny committee on July 9 (Thursday) called for the senior leadership team at Slough Borough Council (SBC) to better communicate major strategies on what the council is doing within the borough to the public.

A hefty document on Slough’s inclusive growth strategy 2020-2025 – which was adopted by cabinet on June 15 – was presented to panel members on how the council will grow Slough’s economy and how they will attract small and big investors and businesses to the borough.

Some of the focuses in the 64-page report to make this plan successful include making Slough the ‘employment’ and ‘cultural hub’, erecting more affordable housing, regenerating the borough to unlock infrastructure, redevelop the town centre, and by working with key stakeholders such as Heathrow Airport, O2, Mars, etc.

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The plan will focus on six priorities including:

  • Creating secure and productive jobs
  • A skill system working for all
  • Regeneration and infrastructure unlocking growth
  • Enterprise and scale-up ecosystem
  • Inclusive and sustainable neighbourhoods
  • Connecting and celebrating Slough

Councillor Christine Hulme (Labour: Central) criticised the meaty report for not being ‘easy to digest’ and clear to residents who want an understanding on the upcoming plans.

She said: “It’s too big, it’s unwieldy, and nobody who’s a community activist is going to wade through that and get anything meaningful out of it.

“It lacks detailed data that can be easily seen through the document to give a picture on what’s going on is the first issue.

“I suggest that it’s edited for community use so it’s easier to understand, read, and reference if they are in a meeting to discuss some of these issues.”

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The lead for economic growth and enterprise, Karima Khandker, responded saying she recognises the document is ‘meaty’ but a summary document – which will highlight some of the priorities and context of the plan – will be made publicly available for people to understand with more detailed data.

Cllr Hulme said: “For us as councillors – let alone residents who are supposed to be engaged in this process – we’ve got that many plans, frameworks, and documents with the very idea to engage  people on any meaningful level without trimming it down a bit or making easily understandable or accessible.

“Can someone get serious at the senior leadership team at this council? If they want a conversation with the public, there needs to be a better way of communicating than having massive plans that people aren’t going to read through.

“We need a more user-friendly strategy of communication with the public, giving relevant information that’s easy for them to understand and digest.”