We Asked, You Said, We Did

The survey ran from 13 July - 31 August 2026.

The Council received some very useful submissions, and is still working to update the draft and use this to assess the sites submited under successive Call for Sites, including those submited under the legacy system.

The next update will be mid November, you can find out more on the new Local Plan page and the Local Plan Gateway 1 page.

The survey ran from 13 July - 31 August 2026.

The Council got some very useful information from 67 representatives, and is considering these at present.

On 30^th October the Council confirmed publication of Local Plan Gateway 1, and information is here Local Plan Gateway 1 – Slough Borough Council, and more will be released on 10^th November. You can find out more on the new Local Plan page.

The survey ran from 13 July - 31 August 2026.

We welcome the responses given, and are using these to update the drafts.

The Council is still working with consultants to finalise the CACAs and will publish updated versions on the Conservation and heritage page. The next update will be mid November.

The survey ran from 13 July - 31 August 2026. 

The Council received some very useful submissions, and is still working to update the draft and use this to assess the sites submited under successive Call for Sites, including those submited under the legacy system.

The next update will be mid November, you can find out more on the new Local Plan page and the Local Plan Gateway 1 page.

Between 6 July and 3 August 2026, we carried out a survey to understand the experiences and views of people with a Learning Disability and Autism on:

• Daytime Activities
• Shared Lives
• Short Breaks (Residential Replacement Care)

Alongside the survey, we held focus groups and other engagement activities to ensure a wide range of people, including individuals with lived experience, carers and providers, had the opportunity to share their views.

What People Told Us Is Working Well

We were encouraged by the positive feedback received. People told us that:

• They receive the support they need to feel safe, secure and supported in living their lives.
• Information about services is generally easy to understand.
• Accessing support for these services is straightforward and accessible for most people who responded.

Areas for Improvement

While feedback was positive overall, people also identified areas where further improvements are needed.

Key themes included:

• Greater access to community-based activities, including gyms, parks, exercise opportunities and physiotherapy.
• More affordable and accessible transport options, including community transport services.
• Increased availability of sensory equipment and sensory-friendly opportunities.
• A wider range of local daytime activity options and concessions for activities such as swimming.
• Better support during evenings and weekends to enable people to participate in activities within their communities.
• Increased awareness of Carer's Assessments and Care Act Assessments, as responses suggested many people may not be aware of the support available.
• More support to help people understand and attend health appointments, including access to advocacy, buddying or befriending services.

We are committed to ensuring that the feedback received translates into meaningful action. To support this, a number of Task and Finish Groups have been established to drive forward the priorities within both the Learning Disability and Autism Strategies.

These groups bring together people with lived experience, carers, providers, health partners, community organisations and council representatives to review current provision, identify gaps and develop practical solutions. Their role is to ensure that the voices of local people remain at the centre of service development and improvement.

Work Already Underway

We have already begun taking action in response to the issues raised:

1. Employment and Skills

We are working with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to deliver joint learning sessions with DWP coaching staff, focusing on hidden disabilities. This will help staff better understand and support people with learning disabilities and autistic people when accessing employment and benefits support.

2. Health Inequalities and Access to Healthcare

In partnership with Turning Point and Public Health, we are running a Lunch and Learn session for health professionals and partner organisations. This session will focus on reducing stigma, improving communication, promoting positive language and increasing understanding of the barriers experienced by people with learning disabilities and autism when accessing healthcare.

3. Improving Frontline Customer Experience

We are working with our customer contact centre to ensure staff complete the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism. This nationally recognised training helps staff understand how to communicate effectively, make reasonable adjustments and provide accessible, person-centred support to autistic people and individuals with learning disabilities.

4. Market engagement

We continue to have strong market engagement with our providers, enabling us to better understand market pressures, identify opportunities for development, and shape services that reflect local priorities and demand.

Strengthening Community Opportunities

Many of the themes identified through the survey, including access to community activities, transport, advocacy, health support and meaningful daytime opportunities, align with several of the strategic priorities, particularly Promote Independent Living, Providing Quality Support in the Community, Integration of Health and Social Care, and Prevent Loneliness and Social Isolation.

The relevant Task and Finish Groups are already exploring opportunities to address these issues by working collaboratively with partners to identify existing community resources, improve awareness of available support, and develop new approaches where gaps in provision have been identified. This work will help ensure that services and community opportunities are shaped by what people have told us matters most to them.

This structured approach will enable us to monitor progress, maintain accountability and, most importantly, demonstrate how the voices of people with learning disabilities, autistic people, carers and families are directly influencing service development and improvement. The work from the task and finish groups will feed into the Learning Disability and Autism steering groups.

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and suggestions. Your feedback is helping to shape future developments and ensure that services continue to evolve in ways that are meaningful to the people who use them. We will continue to work alongside people with lived experience, carers, providers and partners as we take this work forward.

A pilot programme was launched in January 2026 and ran until June 2026, with customer services staff available five days a week and other teams including housing, repairs, leaseholder, debt and welfare and benefits there at least one day each week. Views on the project as a whole were captured in this survey, alongside more detailed comments and feedback taken by staff from those using services available during the pilot.

Responses and activity during the pilot were analysed and reviewed. The project received predominantly positive feedback and was well used. The hub saw 940 residents face to face with 90 percent of residents having queries relating to housing including repairs, the housing register, leaseholder matters and applying for a council home.

Of those 940 there were:

• 480 (51 percent) complex cases – those which are multi-step, multi-team or require specialists
• 234 (25 percent) progress chasing – follow-ups, status checks, repeat enquiries
• 226 (24 percent) transactional – simple, one-touch, first time resolution.

As a result of the feedback and impact of the pilot, the programme has been confirmed to continue.

Press release: Face to face service at Britwell to continue – Slough Borough Council

We invited residents across Slough, Bracknell Forest, and Windsor & Maidenhead to share their views and experiences of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) and local contraceptive services. The survey aimed to understand awareness and knowledge of LARC methods, identify barriers to accessing services, and gather feedback to support the recommissioning of the GP LARC service and improve access to LARC services across East Berkshire.

Residents told us that awareness of LARC methods was generally high, and many reported positive experiences when accessing local services. Respondents highlighted several challenges with accessing LARC, including, difficulties obtaining appointments and long waiting times, concerns about side effects, for example, pain during fitting, and removal procedures, and uncertainty about where services could be accessed.

Residents also told us that more information is needed to support informed contraceptive choices, including information on, side effects and pain management, fertility after LARC removal, and the different contraceptive methods available. Some respondents identified cultural stigma, language barriers and differing attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health as factors that may prevent some communities from engaging with services or seeking information about contraception.

We analysed responses to develop recommendations that will help shape the future commissioning and delivery of GP LARC services across East Berkshire. Based on your feedback, we identified opportunities to improve communications and awareness by providing clearer, more accessible information about LARC methods. We also recognised the need for culturally appropriate resources, information and targeted outreach to help ensure all communities are aware of and can access available services.

As a result of the feedback, we have strengthened referral pathways between GP practices and increased opportunities to deliver LARC to reduce waiting times and improve service accessibility.

We also recognised concerns around pain during fitting and removal procedures. The service specification ensures patients receive clear information about what to expect, discussing pain relief options during consultations, and exploring opportunities to enhance pain management support where appropriate.

Finally, we identified opportunities to strengthen person-centred care by supporting informed decision-making, introducing routine patient feedback mechanisms and working with community organisations, schools, healthcare professionals, and local partners to promote sexual health awareness and informed reproductive choices.

The findings will inform future service planning, commissioning decisions and partnership working across Slough, Bracknell Forest and Windsor & Maidenhead, helping to ensure LARC services are accessible, equitable and responsive to the needs of residents.

A survey was run from 5-17 May to gather feedback on the draft Corporate complaints policy and the draft Remedies and compensation policy.

Responses were analysed and views taken into consideration.

The Corporate complaints policy was taken to cabinet on 20 July 2026 alongside the Annual Report on Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman complaints and was approved.

• Further details on the report and approval of the Corporate complaints policy : Agenda for Cabinet on Monday, 20th July, 2026, 6.30 pm - item 9

• More information about the new Corporate Complaints Policy and how to make a complaint.

The Remedies and compensation policy was renamed Housing financial remedies policy and was also taken to cabinet on 20 July as alongside the Annual Housing Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report 2025-26 and Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code Self Assessment 

• Further details on the report and approval of the Housing Financial Remedies Policy: Agenda for Cabinet on Monday, 20th July, 2026, 6.30 pm - item 10.

We asked residents, parents and carers, young people, professionals, childcare providers and partner organisations to tell us about their experiences of using Slough's Information and Services Guide (FIS) and SEND Local Offer website, and how it could be improved.

The consultation ran from 14 April to 17 May 2026 through Citizen Space, alongside additional engagement activities with young people and other stakeholders. We wanted to understand:

• What information people are looking for.
• How easy it is to find information and services.
• What works well on the current website.
• What improvements should be prioritised in the future.

We received feedback from a wide range of users across both the Citizen Space consultation and targeted engagement activities. Overall, you told us that:

The website contains a lot of useful information and is an important source of support for families, children and young people. However, you also told us that improvements are needed in several key areas:

• Information can be difficult to find quickly.
• Navigation is not always intuitive.
• There is too much text on some pages.
• The search function needs to be improved.
• The website should be easier to use on mobile devices.
• More translations, accessibility features and easy-to-understand information are needed.
• Families want clearer pathways to support rather than long lists of services.
• Activities, events, childcare, SEND support and mental health support should be easier to access.
• Young people told us they would like a more engaging, visual and user-friendly experience.
• Families would like clearer information about SEND support, education, health services and what support is available before an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is needed.

The feedback also highlighted the importance of ensuring the website supports the development of Slough's Best Start in Life (Family Hubs) offer and provides a more accessible and transparent SEND Local Offer.

We have completed a detailed review of all survey responses and engagement findings and have used this feedback to shape our website transformation programme.

As a result, we have:

• Developed a comprehensive improvement plan based directly on the feedback received.
• Identified the following priorities for a new website:
  • Simpler navigation and user journeys.
  • Improved search functionality.
  • Better accessibility and translation options.
  • Mobile-first design.
  • Clearer and more concise content.
  • Easier access to activities, events and local services.
• Included plans to integrate Slough's Best Start in Life (Family Hubs) digital offer, making it easier for families to find support, activities and services through one digital front door.
• Included plans to strengthen the SEND Local Offer, including:
  • Clear SEND pathways.
  • Better information about SEN Support and early help.
  • Improved accessibility.
  • Greater transparency about processes, timescales and available support.
• Used the consultation findings to inform our review of potential website providers and digital solutions.
• Developed a phased transformation programme, including:
• Short-term improvements (0-3 months) focused on navigation, content, accessibility and search enhancements.
• Medium-term improvements (3-6 months) focused on redesigning the website structure, integrating Family Hubs, enhancing the SEND Local Offer and improving the overall user experience.

What's Next?

We are currently evaluating website solutions and working with key stakeholders across Family Hubs, SEND, Early Help, Education and Digital Services to develop the next generation of Slough's Information and Services Guide.

The new website will aim to become a single, joined-up digital front door for children, young people and families in Slough, helping people find the right information, support and services more quickly and easily.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide feedback and help shape the future of the service. Your views have directly influenced our plans and will continue to inform the development of the website.

An online survey was prepared and hosted by Campbell Tickell Ltd on Smart Survey from 10 March - 12 May 2026. The consultation material including a draft of the revised scheme was hosted on the Council’s website. A link was provided to the survey on the webpages about applying for social housing on the Slough Borough Council website. Everyone on the Housing Register was contacted either by email or letter explaining the consultation and inviting them to provide us with their feedback on the proposed changes. They were offered assistance if they needed it. Everyone in temporary accommodation also received a letter. Additional engagement also took place to make sure no-one was excluded.

There were a total of 1,002 respondents which included 619 applicants on the Housing Register, 190 homeless households in temporary accommodation, 159 Council tenants and 185 were other residents of the borough. There are 2,629 applicants on the housing register, and with a total of 1,002 respondants, this approximates to a 38% response rate. 

Overall, the agreement was 40% and over for each of the proposed changes apart from the Community Contribution Section. As a result we reviewed a proposed change relating to community contributions. Applicants with a community contribution are awarded Band B. During the consultation it was proposed to change this to a lettings target of 2% for 2026/2 which was supported by 54% of respondents. However, having considered the responses during the consultation who disagreed, legal advice, the results of the Equality Impact Assessment, it was concluded that retaining this clause would potentially be discriminatory, i.e. awarding greater priority to someone who is working over someone who is not. It is therefore recommended removing of this section entirely while granting fostering and adoption to be prioritised in Band B.

Further details of the consultation and report on it are available on the Agenda for Cabinet meeting on 20 July - item 7

The new Housing Allocations Policy has been approved and will come into effect on 30 November. Any applications from before that date will be assessed under the current Housing Allocations Policy.  As part of the transition to the new policy, existing applicants will be invited to re-register between the end of July and the beginning of November. As a result, there may be some delays in processing new housing applications during this period. Existing applicants will be contacted by the allocations team to advise on when you need to re-register.

More information on applying for social housing (Slough Borough Council website)

A three week consultation ran from 9 January to 30 January asking for views on a range of budget proposals and suggestions for alternative savings or service improvements.

Responses were analysed and views taken into consideration. In total, there were 38 responses to the consultation, giving a range of suggestions and comments.

The budget and the medium term financial strategy (MTFS) for 2026/27 were approved by full council on 5 March. The proposals include savings of £15.45m for 2026/27, and a total of £37.15m up to 2028/29. It also includes identified savings from Slough Children First.

As outlined in the Medium‑Term Financial Strategy, the council expects to no longer require Exceptional Financial Support by the end of 2028/29, demonstrating clear progress toward long‑term financial recovery. Key proposals include savings in adult social care (£2.31m), improvements to business rates collection (£4.43m), and a transformation programme for housing and temporary accommodation (£850k).

The budget included increasing Council Tax by 4.99% for 2026/27.

Further details are available on our website – Papers from Budget meeting of Full Council 5 March 2026.

A survey asking about community concerns around safety and crime was run from 24 October 2025 - 16 January 2026.

Responses were analysed and views taken into consideration. In total, there were 341 responses to the consultation. Knife Crime was a top crime concern and that a lack of police or street guardian presence makes people feel unsafe.

As a result Street Guardians were introduced to another neighbourhood, and are now operating in both Langley and Cippenham. There will also an Anti-Knife Crime community football match to raise awareness, organised with Thames Valley Police. It will take place at Arbour Park on Friday 22^nd May 2026. Kick off starts at 7pm!

An eight-week consultation ran from 27 October to 21 December. There was an online survey with letters were sent to all impacted working age council tax support claimants, voluntary and community sector groups to ask them to share their views. There were also daytime and evening drop-in sessions at our community hubs.

In the 2025/26 scheme, the maximum level of council tax discount is 80% for working age households who are not in employment, and the proposal for 2026/27 is to reduce this to a maximum of 70%. A reduction by 20% in the other discounts for working households, depending on income bands, was also proposed. If the proposed revised scheme came into place, it would deliver a total gross reduction in CTS expenditure of £872,198.

Responses were analysed and views taken into consideration. In total, there were 163 responses to the consultation, of which 84% were receiving the support, and 16% were not. Responses to the consultation supported continuing with a Council Tax Support Hardship Fund for 2026/27.

Feedback from the consultation was taken into consideration, however, the proposed plans remain the same and would bring the council in line with three other Berkshire authorities in terms of the support offered. The changes proposed would result in a reduction of between £126 and £200 per year, for the households affected.

The proposal was for a hardship fund to be allocated of £175,000 in 2026/27, for those experiencing the greatest financial hardship but following councillor discussion, additional funding was allocated to increase the total available for the Council Tax support hardship scheme £355,000.

In addition, we will provide targeted support for those who would experience the greatest impacts of any agreed changes to the 2026/27 scheme.

There are currently 6,466 working age households in receipt of council tax support.

There would be no changes to the scheme for pensioners in 2026/27, as this is set nationally.

Cabinet’s recommendation over the CTS scheme was taken to the full council as part of the budget in March, and as part of the council’s overall 2026/27 budget.

• Cabinet papers from 19 January 2026 - CTS is item 93
• Papers from Budget meeting of Full Council 5 March 2026.

A consultation was run from 7-28 November 2025 with residents on introducing a 20mph speed limit scheme in Colnbrook and Poyle area.

A total of 31 responses were received and analysed during this consultation period, including stakeholder responses, and residents’ responses received via CitizenSpace consultation platform and e-mails.  

The consultation responses raised a number of recurring themes, including concerns about enforcement and policing, cut-through and rat-running traffic, antisocial driving and car racer activity, and the overall effectiveness of 20mph speed limits.

Additional themes related to the type and extent of engineering measures, impacts on heritage and the conservation area, safety for schools and vulnerable road users, and the consultation process itself.

While some comments appeared critical of the scheme, the majority did not oppose the introduction of a 20mph limit in principle. Instead, many respondents expressed conditional support, highlighting the need for complementary measures such as enforcement, targeted police activity, and appropriate traffic calming to ensure effectiveness.

More than half of the responses were supportive or strongly supportive of the scheme, recognising the wider safety and community benefits. Overall, the feedback demonstrates broad agreement with the scheme’s objectives, with residents seeking reassurance that the proposals will be implemented robustly and sensitively.

As a result of this survey, the Council will proceed with the implementation of a 20 mph scheme on 35 roads in the Colnbrook and Poyle area. The works will include the installation of traffic calming measures and vehicle-activated signage on Horton Road, as well as speed reminder signs, gateway signs, and speed limit roundels on other roads within the scheme. Construction will commence soon, and residents will be informed once the exact start date is confirmed.

From September 2025 to October 2025, we invited Slough residents, professionals in the planning industry and key stakeholders for their views on our new local validation list. The survey aimed to ensure we got the balance right on our list of requirements for documents required for planning applications, and to make sure we had covered all the current legislation which our stakeholders work within.

The people who responded told us they thought the local validation list was clear and easy to understand. They also told us that it provided detailed information and links to assist users. Some respondents suggested additional requirements which would allow developments to be approved with more consideration to the built and natural environment of Slough.

We reviewed all of the responses and made amendments to the Local Validation List to include all of the suggested changes. This included adding new requirements relating to improving the environment near our waterways, promoting drainage solutions to prevent flooding, and encouraging developers to co-operate with residents in our neighbouring areas. We also changed some of the time limits for residents to send in their documents to give them time to engage with the right technical experts. On the 1^st January 2026, we adopted the new local validation list and have published it on our website - check out the Local Validation List webpages.

From 4th July 2025 to 29th August 2025, we invited Slough residents, professionals in the planning industry and key stakeholders for their views on the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). This is a document the council is legally required to publish under Section 18 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 in order to explain how effective community involvement at all stages of planning process will be achieved. The document had a section on planning policy and development management.

We received 10 responses to the consultation. Some responses related to the Development Management section rather than Planning Policy. This included comments on Housing in Multiple Occupation (HMO), statutory consultee process for planning applications, and the planning committee process. As a result, modifications were made to the Development Management section to address these comments. Some of the responses just requested we continue to consult them in the future and provided updated contact details. Some comments raised were noted but outside the scope of the SCI. Further details can be found in the Statement of Community Involvement consultation statement online.

The Statement of Community Involvement was drafted and went before Cabinet on 17th November 2025 where it was officially adopted. The new statement was added to the website and is available on the website: Adoption of the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) - The new local plan for Slough.

From April 2025 to June 2025, we invited Slough residents to complete our Assistive Technology (AT) survey. The survey aimed to gather your views on what you know about Assistive Technology in Slough and what support or information you would find most helpful.

Residents who responded told us they would like clearer, more detailed information about the different types of Assistive Technology available locally. Many residents also said they would welcome more training and guidance on how these technologies can help people stay safe and independent at home.

We are currently reviewing the survey findings in full. We will share an update on  the next steps in the near future.

The plans were made available for comment for 6 weeks on the council's website from 25 April - 6 June 2025.

Responses were analysed and views taken into consideration.

The powers were approved by the Department of Transport in November 2025 and enforcement of moving traffic restrictions at some locations began in Slough from July 2026. More details available on Moving Traffic Enforcement – Slough Borough Council website.

From 4 April 2025 to 23 May 2025, we carried out a Call for Sites exercise for information on sites that could contribute towards housing and other development needs for the town. This consultation has been funded by the UK Government. The call for sites was open to all, including local organisations, businesses as well as landowners and developers and residents.

A total of 34 site nominations were received (24 via Citizen Space and 10 by email), along with eight general representations. Around half of all nominations were for residential development, with others including mixed-use, employment, industrial/logistics and commercial uses. A small number of specialist proposals were also submitted, including energy, alternative fuels, EV infrastructure and a solar farm. Submissions were made by planning consultants, landowners, a developer and a local resident.

All submitted sites will inform the Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA) to identify sites that are suitable, available, and achievable for housing, employment, and other uses in the new Local Plan. The draft Local Plan will be subject to public consultation. The Call for Sites form will remain open on the webpage The new local plan for Slough – Slough Borough Council to allow new or amended submissions and to keep the evidence base up to date.

The draft Statement of Principles was available for 4 weeks for comment as part of the statutory three year review of the statement.

Responses were analysed and views taken into consideration.

The statement of Gambling Principles was approved by Full Council on the 6 March 2025. This new three-year statement of principles was published on 20 March 2025 and has effect from 31 March 2025. It is now published on the council website: Statement of gambling principles – Slough Borough Council