PROPOSALS to freeze council tax in Slough were approved after a sniping, heated debate.

Slough Borough Council’s 2015/16 budget was passed at a full council meeting on Thursday last week after a debate filled with interruptions and snide remarks.

The budget outlined plans for a £52m investment in education and £6m in highways, among other things, as well as how the council will make £12m in savings next year - 10% of which, Cllr Rob Anderson, council leader, said was 'disinvestment’ or services losing quality or even having to be paid for by residents to use.

Cllr Anderson said: “That is the dangerous part that is going to grow with the government cuts.” Opposition members raised concerns about projects they believed had been financially mismanaged such as The Curve and the bus centre, and over staff payouts.

Cllr Wal Chahal, Conservative group leader, said: “If some commissioners lack ability or spend more time Tweeting and need some help with project management, come and talk to me.” Cllr Diana Coad, UKIP group leader, described the Labour group as always needing an 'ogre’ to work against, in this case government cuts. She added: “Keep listening to the storytelling of Hans Christian Andersen [referencing the council leader], it’s always so amusing.” However, Labour councillors refuted the points, describing them as 'whinges’ rather than actual points on the ins and outs of the budget.

Cllr Ted Plenty said: “A couple of the opposition said they would offer to help. I would say don’t touch them with a barge pole based on what they have been saying tonight.” At the end of the debate, Cllr Anderson whipped up his colleagues in an emotional speech. He said: “We have been on a journey in Slough in these five years, but there is no destination as progress is ongoing - there is no end target.

“The budget we are setting has never been smaller, but our ambition has never been bigger. It’s never lack of money, it’s never lack of opportunity, it is only lack of ambition - that is not something we do in Slough. We are ambitious as our town deserves it.” The budget was passed with 25 votes in favour and nine abstentions.