The Labour Party in Slough has been in power for 10 years and each year under their control the high street has deteriorated. Under their watch the high street has become a sad, soulless, embarrassment to residents.
Over the years we have seen big brands such as M&S, Next and River Island move out, a flourishing market that was pushed out and a thriving night time economy that attracted people from outside the borough intentionally phased out by Labour Councillors. The Labour Party have shown they have no vision, commitment or more worryingly no plan to improve the high street.
The Labour Party keep making excuses that towns up and down the country face the same problem with declining high streets however why is it that Slough residents spend their money in neighbouring high streets such as Windsor, Uxbridge, High Wycombe and Staines. Businesses big and small have the confidence to invest large sums of money into these areas and these local authorities are seen as trusted partners with a long term vision for their areas. Unlike ours. The Slough Pound being spent everywhere else but Slough thank to this Council.
Leaseholders and small business in the high street are now pulling out of the high street and refusing to invest large sums of money to renew their leases as the Council refuses to reassure them about the future of Slough high-street. A successful business owner who has been in high street for over 20 years told me this week he is looking to re-locate out of town because he has been given no reassurance from the Council about the future of the high-street. Over the last ten years Slough Businesses have been looking for reassurance from the Council about the future of the high street so they can invest large sums of money into the high street. The Council has failed to do that hence why business are leaving Slough.
This Labour Council is good at blaming other people for their failures but they have no one to blame for the decline of the high-street but themselves.
Councillor Rayman Bains
Ward Councillor, Upton
