Lib Dems win motion in Council on strengthening and improving housing enforcement in Slough
Slough Liberal Democrats were successful in their motion at Borough Council on 23 April, which aims to strengthen and improve planning enforcement in Slough.
“Our responsibility remains clear”, said Councillor Akram who leads the Liberal Democrat Group, “across our wards there are growing concerns about over-development and inappropriate use of outbuildings and in some cases, unacceptable living conditions. Alongside this, are wider effects to all our community: waste management pressures, a strain on infrastructure and a cumulative impact of the quality of life for our residents”.
The motion, was seconded by Cllr Nazir (see earlier photo with Lib Dem Leader, Sir Ed Davey). With the growing number of unlawful developments and being left permanently in place, as part of the motion, Lib Dems called for a full review of planning enforcement policies, including ‘Beds in Sheds’, and unlicensed Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) to be discussed at the next meeting of the Corporate Improvement Strategy Committee (CISC) alongside a long overdue housing strategy to be published as well as the results of a 10 week consultation on a discretionary housing scheme for the Borough, with a report published by the Cabinet to ratify the recommended decisions from CISC by autumn.
“We welcome the discretionary property licensing consultation, but it must be part of a broader joined up approach, supported by an (overdue) housing strategy and by a full effective review of planning enforcement. It should then go to the next scrutiny meeting for some further review and input by CISC members before going to Cabinet”, explained Councillor Akram.
Also speaking in support of the motion, Councillor Waqas Sabah highlighted the daily plight of tenants affected by substandard housing conditions which, as a lawyer, he deals with on a daily basis, “Slough has had both a ‘mandatory’ and ‘selective’ HMO policy in place for five years; mandatory in the sense that anybody with a HMO had to get a licence and selective because it was only trialled in just two wards: Slough Central and Chalvey wards. After five years, these pilots were to be extended across the whole borough but this hasn’t happened. I deal with tenants every day and see firsthand the shocking conditions they are living in.”
He continued, “Just go along on a Tuesday to Slough County Court when housing cases are being heard; see how many people have been evicted from a property, how many are complaining and trying to get a duty solicitor just to represent them because of the state of their property.”
Councillor Akram said, “This motion is not about attacking landlords or HMO licenses but vulnerable residents being exploited because of a lack of enforcement. What we saw in the previous implementation was a growing number of landlords being given HMO licenses by the licensing department without planning permission in place. We are seeing large family homes being converted almost permanently in to bedsits and flats with no data on how many homes are being lost”.
Councillor Akram added, “The motion was not about HMOs in Slough but planning and licensing being interdependent and working together more effectively. What we see across our neighbours in Hounslow, Wembley and Harrow that they have policies aimed at better housing enforcement already, which gives them a surplus to help those neighbourhoods impacted. The same should be done for Slough and not using monies raised to pay for large legal bills!”
LIB DEM MOTION Strengthening and Improving Planning Enforcement in Slough (Moved by Councillor Akram, seconded by Councillor Nazir)
“This Council resolves:
• To support the new renters’ rights bill coming into force from 1 May 2026.
• To play a leading role in continuing to maintaining housing standards and enforcing tenants’ rights.
• That every Slough resident in the Private rented sector and Social Housing should continue to have access to safe, secure and decent housing, and not be forced to tolerate poor living conditions or exploitative practices.
• That when individuals or organisations fail to comply with housing safety standards, enforcement officers will continue to take swift and robust action to address breaches, protect residents, and maintain the integrity of the housing system.
• To tackle the increasing number of substandard Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), which put housing safety and residents at risk and undermine community cohesion, by seeking to improve our reporting mechanisms and encourage residents to report any breaches of safety or unlawful activity with confidence.
• That in light of the Discretionary Property Licensing report approved at the Cabinet meeting on 20 April, recommending a 10-week consultation on a discretionary property licensing scheme, and also the urgent need to publish a housing strategy as recommended in the commissioner review of the report, we ask the Corporate Improvement Scrutiny Committee (CISC) to also undertake a full review of planning enforcement policies, including Beds in Sheds, mass overdevelopment, and unlicensed HMOs, with a detailed analysis of the outcome of the consultation, a housing strategy and the full review of planning enforcement policies to come back to CISC with a report published by cabinet to ratify the recommended decisions from CISC by September/October 2026
• To ask that scrutiny further review planning enforcement team practices and outcomes to ensure they are sufficiently resourced and proactive.
This Council also recommends that:
• The Cabinet review the council’s plan and associated strategies in working and engaging with Private sector Landlords and Social housing providers in Slough to ensure better outcomes for our residents.
• The Cabinet also reviews the Council’s readiness and ability to implement the requirements of Awaab’s Law for social landlords; as well as enforce and promote strengthened protections under the new renters’ rights legislation, including taking firm action against rogue landlords.”