The council has been part of a Government trial for a new cyber-defence scheme which councillors at a meeting Wednesday heard was helping it fight off hacking threats This website uses 'cookies' to give you the best Using this website means you are Ok with this You can change which cookies are set at any time - and find out more about them - by following this link<\/a> motors and property from the Maidenhead Advertiser Slough Borough Council's Observatory House offices (inset credit: Pixabay) Slough Borough Council successfully fended off 19 million ‘suspicious attempts’ to penetrate its cyber defences in a single day data and technology Martin Chalmers told the audit and corporate governance committee that the new system had so far been ‘effective at repelling attacks’ Mr Chalmers said: “To give you a flavour of what it’s detecting and the nature of the threat that is out there externally 19 million – one nine million - suspicious attempts to penetrate our defences that our defences successfully repelled “So I think that indicates the fact that the work we’ve done to strengthen our firewall defences “And this service on top is giving us an additional capability.”             Committee councillor Robert Anderson (Labour Britwell) said: "That’s good to hear because we’ve had a classic example this week look what’s happened when an organisation’s breached “You’ve always got to plan for the fact that you can’t stop everything but how do you react when the breach comes through “And the Co-op’s done rather better than Marks and Spencer has “I hope we would emulate the Co-op rather than M&S.” Since Marks and Spencer announced it was battling a ‘cyber incident’ on April 23 it has paused contactless payments in store as well as online deliveries An update from the company's chief executive Stuart Machin today (May 2) said the company was still managing the attack and was ‘working day and night’ to restore normal operations shut down part of its IT systems and warned all staff to keep cameras on during online meetings over the threat of hackers High-end London department store Harrods became the latest retailer to reveal it was fighting a cyber attack Reports have suggested software known as DragonForce could have been used in the attacks DragonForce is a ransomware that locks users out of computer systems and demands a payment in order for them to be given access again Councillors at the audit and corporate governance committee heard that while Slough council’s new system had been effective the threat remained ever-present that an attack could one day be successful.  ‘it is very important to note that however effective our defences are there is a very high possibility that at some point there will be a successful attack’ Mr Chalmers said it was ‘absolutely critical’ for the council to maintain the scheme or put in place a similar defence system.  He said: “I can confirm that we will be either maintaining that service that’s been piloted or putting in place something of equal strength when that pilot comes to an end.” Crime, courts and inquests Voters have had their say in local council elections across Buckinghamshire Construction workers did make a mistake when building a new £1.3million roundabout the RBWM cabinet member for highways has said The Conservatives lost a long-held majority at Buckinghamshire Council and fell one seat short of the 49 needed - but how did the votes fall in the county's south Celebrations for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day are set to take place across the area this May © Copyright 2024 Baylis Community Media CIC All right reserved Unvetted payments for goods and services at Slough Borough Council have raised fears that staff are ‘spending without any accountability’ Retrospective orders for payments drew scrutiny at a recent Slough council meeting Unvetted payments for goods and services at Slough Borough Council have raised fears that staff are ‘spending without any accountability’ Figures disclosed at a meeting this week revealed that around half of all council spending had been sought approval for after money had already been committed The council’s top finance officer said that the 50 per cent figure was ‘really poor’ and symptomatic of ‘cultural’ problems within the council “This is a cultural piece that we’re having to do more work on,” Annabel Scholes told Wednesday’s audit and corporate governance committee “But we are improving the reports in the new financial year and we will be doing more training and more guidance and then we will have to get into the space of basically taking this to [staff] capability if required “Because we’re very clear now of our expectations on how we manage certain processes.” Ms Scholes was discussing problems with retrospective purchase orders (RPOs) which are issued by council staff to finance chiefs after money has been committed for products Purchase orders (POs) issued when a deal is agreed with a supplier allow the council’s financial leaders to monitor expenditure and budget effectively But high numbers of retrospective orders pose problems for scrutiny of payments and can be an indicator of fraud committee councillor Robert Anderson (Britwell “It’s not necessarily finance’s [the council finance department] fault,” he said “It’s not unheard of in organisations - it happens - but it’s a major flag for potential fraud hopeless governance if that’s happening because people are just going out and spending without any sort of accountability.” Cllr Anderson asked what percentage of RPOs were being issued at the council Ms Scholes said: “I want to say approximately 50 per cent but I haven’t got them [the figures] in front of me.” But I would prefer to share with you the latest report at the next meeting on that performance Councillor Frank O'Kelly (Cippenham Village Lib Dem) asked: “Is the figure moving up or down “Because I have to echo my colleagues’ shock Ms Scholes said: “There has been a slow improvement but the reality is we are monitoring it now and would be writing to all its suppliers at the start of May to say invoices without an approved purchase order would be refused “Let’s leave out the hyperbole for a moment,” Cllr O’Kelly said “How soon could you [Ms Scholes] get a report to see a direction of travel plans for improvement and a timeline to get things into a shape where they’re more acceptable for all of us?” Ms Scholes said a report could be delivered to the next committee meeting Council and politics the Conservatives lost a long-held majority at Buckinghamshire Council and fell one seat short of the 49 needed The voters have spoken and the results are in for the Buckinghamshire Council elections 2025 The following results show how voting unfolded across the county’s southern wards covered by the Maidenhead Advertiser and Slough & South Bucks Express Conservative councillors Paul Kelly and Kirsten Ashman have been elected to represent the new Burnham ward having both represented the former Cliveden ward Reform UK claimed the third spot up for grabs through the newly elected Councillor Cole Caesar Cllr Caesar stood as an independent candidate in the Beaconsfield MP general election race last year That race was won by Conservative MP Joy Morrissey Paul James Kelly – Conservative – 1289 - Elected Kirsten Ashman – Conservative – 1120 - Elected Santokh Singh Chhokar – Conservative - 952 Carol Lesley Linton - Liberal Democrats - 760 Three Conservative councillors have been elected to serve the new Farnhams & Stoke Poges ward all having served as councillors in the area previously These are: Cllrs Dev Dhillon and David Moore formerly of Farnham Common & Burnham Beeches ward; and Cllr Thomas Hogg Dev Dhillon – Conservative – 1628 – Elected David William Moore – Conservative – 1622 - Elected Thomas Neil Hogg – Conservative – 1482 - Elected Voters in Iver were given choice of voting for two councillors in this year’s election having had three to pick in the last local election Conservative councillor Wendy Matthews retained her seat as did Independent councillor Paul Griffin Cllr Griffin’s fellow independent Luisa Sullivan Wendy Allison Matthews – Conservative – 743 - Elected Paul James Griffin – Independent – 721 - Elected Luisa Katherine Sullivan – Independent - 544 Alison Elizabeth Mueller - Reform UK - 515 Martin Bol Deng Aleu - Liberal Democrats – 161 Bourne End was dropped from the title of the new Flackwell Heath and The Wooburns ward Bourne End & Hedsor ward representatives have been re-elected.   Three independents will now represent the ward: Cllr Penny Drayton Cllr Stuart Wilson and newly elected Cllr Larisa Townsend Penny Drayton – Independent – 2523 – Elected Larisa Townsend – Independent – 2456 – Elected Stuart Wilson – Independent – 2442 – Elected Christopher Nigel Tolmie - Liberal Democrats - 271 Two Conservatives have been re-elected to represent Marlow in Cllr Alex Collingwood and Cllr Carol Heap Though the Liberal Democrats have a lot to celebrate here with newly elected councillor Anna Crabtree topping the ballot with a more than 200 vote lead over her closest Tory rival Anna Victoria Crabtree - Liberal Democrats - 1937 - Elected Alex Collingwood – Conservative – 1733 - Elected Carol Heap – Conservative – 1593 - Elected James Robert Currie - Liberal Democrats - 1357 More information on Buckinghamshire Council's election results can be found on the council's website.  A murder investigation has been launched in Slough after a 46-year-old man was killed in an attack Berkeley Homes has agreed to buy the Observatory and Queensmere shopping centres in Slough and plans to bring forward the existing plans for regeneration paves the way for an ambitious regeneration scheme – Slough Central – on the Queensmere Shopping Centre based on the plans British Land has previously pursued on behalf of the site’s owner Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) The 9.2-acre site represents one of the most prominent redevelopment opportunities in the South East with outline planning already secured to create 1,600 new homes there are no immediate plans to redevelop the adjacent five-acre Observatory Shopping Centre says it will take forward the existing proposals to deliver a high-quality extensive landscaping across the site and a mix of new homes and food and drink destinations – designed to reflect the needs of modern town centre living The scheme will also introduce new pedestrian routes improving connectivity between the station Wellington Street and the southern end of the High Street said: “We are thrilled to continue playing an integral role in the regeneration of Slough “Our ambitious transformation of the iconic Horlicks Factory into a superb collection of new homes and residents’ facilities has already created a vibrant new neighbourhood in the town centre bringing forward new homes and breathing life into the high street we will continue to support the long-term growth and success of Slough “Our vision is to enhance and support a thriving sustainable town centre that reflects the energy and diversity of the local community.” The acquisition signals a major step forward in Slough Borough Council’s ambitions to drive investment and regeneration across the town building on recent infrastructure improvements and its strong transport connections including Crossrail and proximity to Heathrow Airport At the same time moves are being made to bring forward another stalled mixed-use scheme the North West Quadrant at the former TVU site Slough Borough Council’s executive director said: “It is brilliant news for Slough that top UK residential developer Berkeley have bought the Queensmere and Observatory shopping centres from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority “Berkeley are already delivering the award-winning Horlicks factory scheme and they are a company with the financial clout expertise and ambition to deliver a comprehensive transformation of the High Street “The council has worked hard to help facilitate this sale to enable the regeneration of the High Street to be brought forward and we look forward to continuing our successful relationship with Berkeley “With this announcement and the start of work on the former TVU site Slough town centre is on the cusp of transformation.” ​© Thames Tap (powered by ukpropertyforums.com) Sign up to receive our weekly free journal, The Forum here and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" UK Property Forums enable forums and events in the property sector which help to create business development opportunities Office Address:UK Property Forums Ltd is located in Reading 0203 478 7340info@ukpropertyforums.com We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again Officers were called to Grant Avenue at around 6.46am on Friday (April 25) where a man and a woman had been assaulted was taken to hospital and died this afternoon The man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers. Formal identification and other coroner processes will be undertaken in due course sustained injuries and required minimal medical treatment was charged yesterday (April 26) with Section 18 grievous bodily harm; assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage He remains in custody and will appear before Reading Magistrates’ Court at 10am tomorrow (Monday) our thoughts are with victim’s family at this extremely difficult time “A scene will remain in place as we continue to carry out our enquiries and we thank the community in advance for their patience as our officers continue their work “I would encourage anyone who does have concerns to please speak to a uniformed officer in the area.” Toggle Sensemaker Daily England is changing shape – Slough is just the start Brad Gray The Berkshire town of Slough – setting of The Office object of John Betjeman’s scorn and home of one of the largest industrial estates in Europe – is trying to decide where it belongs Slough Borough Council has been told by Labour it cannot remain as an authority in its current form and so is considering its options – one of which is to become part of the Greater London Authority That would not just bring an April Fools’ joke to life It would also mean the first significant change to London’s boundary since 1965 It’s about a plan to reweave the tapestry of England Labour is aiming to transform local government boundaries declaring “an ambitious first wave of reorganisation” by 2030 Council taxpayers may not think much of the authority they sit in but they should note that boundary alterations could change Two-tier structures (with separate councils at district and county level) will become unitary authorities in charge of nearly all local government decisions for their areas. A government white paper says authorities must become big enough to “achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks”, so existing unitary authorities will change too. Local elections have been delayed so authorities can prepare. Opponents say the process is expensive, time-consuming and disrespects historical boundaries. Labour says reform will “improve accountability with fewer politicians who are more able to focus on delivering for residents”. So why Slough? Slough Borough Council is a unitary authority that has faced numerous financial problems over the years, has a cabinet without a party majority and governs about 160,000 residents. It fits the bill. The council must provide an interim restructuring proposal to central government this month, and a full proposal by November. It could choose to merge with parts of Berkshire or Buckinghamshire, but the potential benefits of becoming part of London are clear (branding opportunities, better ability to attract investment, inclusion in city-wide conversations). Plus there’s precedent. London-ish. The current Greater London border was set following the London Government Act 1963. The historic county of Middlesex and parts of Essex, Kent, Surrey and Hertfordshire were absorbed, forming the 32 boroughs (plus the City of London) that exist today. Generations-long squabbles have since rumbled on over the cultural identity of these new London areas. But tax collectors and house prices don’t lie. If you’re part of London, you’ll pay London’s prices. As time has passed London’s influence has expanded, creating a belt of purgatory for settlements like Slough. Even Greater London. If Slough does become part of Greater London, this opens the floodgates for other areas to follow. Questions would arise over urban sprawl towns like: Urban population growth is outpacing overall population growth. The case for entirely redrawing the map of Greater London, and indeed other British cities, is growing more convincing. Even if Slough chooses not to join London, the starter pistol has been fired. What’s more… There are signs that London’s draw as a capital markets hub is waning, as businesses look to float elsewhere. It will be looking for ways to compensate. Harvard sets up fight between academia and Trump Labour fights Farage with national security case for net zero Trump backs defence secretary who texted wife of plans to bomb Yemen Pope Francis was a reformer when his church needed one Supreme Court rules definition of woman is based on biological sex Britain’s crumbling bridges pose a weighty problem How to speed up judicial process? Cut the jury Fresh offer rejected: rubbish piles up in England’s second city Think tank linked to Reform UK seeks money from US donors Money trail leads through Carlton Club to Tories Aldi overtake Asda in grocery sales – the big four is well and truly dead California lawmakers target AI ‘companionship’ chatbots RFK Jr’s fluoride move may be good news for dentists A free newsletter from Tortoise. Take once a day for greater clarity. Google Play Store Follow: Two fire engines from Slough and Langley stations were sent to the restaurant at around 10pm and teams worked for almost an hour to stop the water Nando's in Slough High Street remains closed due to flooding after firefighters were called to the restaurant last night (April 28) Two fire engines from Slough and Langley stations were dispatched at around 10pm and teams worked for almost an hour to stem the water dripping through the restaurant ceiling A manager from the High Street Nando's confirmed the restaurant remained closed today The manager said problems with water leaking through the ceiling were still ongoing and had affected the kitchen and dining areas.  A spokesperson from Slough fire station said the flooding is believed to have been caused by a faulty air conditioning unit The spokesperson said firefighters were on site for almost an hour and used tools to isolate and turn off the water supply to the flooded restaurant Food and Drink Tributes have been paid to a Slough man as police continue a murder investigation over his death Tributes have been paid to Tomasz Kopec (image: Thames Valley Police) has been remembered by his family as ‘a guiding light’ whose 'countless memories we’ll forever hold dear' Mr Kopec and a 34-year-old woman were the victims of an assault in Grant Avenue in the early hours of Friday He died in hospital two days later while the woman was given minor medical treatment was charged with Section 18 grievous bodily harm; assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage on Saturday The 40-year-old appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Monday and was remanded to custody to appear at Reading Crown Court on May 26 A statement from Mr Kopec’s family paid tribute to a father and grandfather who had ‘the biggest heart’ whose ‘spirit lives on in the lessons he taught’ and always ready with a smile or a word of encouragement “Tomasz was a man who valued time with those he loved.  “Whether it was a quiet day by the water with a fishing rod in hand or taking a trip with loved ones on his motorbike especially when they were shared with family and friends.  “His love was steady and his laughter was a gift echoing through countless memories we’ll forever hold dear “He taught us the importance of showing up—for the big moments and the small ones.  and how to live life with heart—and he had the biggest heart.  "Tomasz’s legacy isn’t just in the stories we’ll tell his spirit lives on in the lessons he taught and the deep love he gave so freely.  Thames Valley Police said Mr Kopec's family are being supported by specially trained officers Appeals and information the pressures of sporting competition and finding your identity in an environment that doesn’t cater for difference A thrilling coming-of-age tale for all ages visits Norden Farm and the Curve Venue next week.  Written by award-winning playwright and producer Maatin the pressures of sporting competition and finding your identity in an environment that doesn’t cater for difference It’s the summer of 2005 as England get ready to win the Ashes Ismail (Smiley to his friends) is a 15-year-old British Indian schoolboy at the sort of school you hear about because of how many Prime Ministers went there and there is literally nothing he doesn’t love about cricket He’s about to become the youngest-ever player in his elite public school’s First XI cricket team Ismail sets his sights on immortality – breaking the school batting record and getting his name into Wisden for reasons Ismail can’t quite put his finger on Playwright Maatin said: “I'm thrilled that this exciting new tour will bring new audiences into the seldom-seen perspective of a British Indian "It is my biggest goal to purposefully invite communities that have been excluded – whether deliberately or otherwise – into the theatre Duck was originally produced by Two Magpies Productions who believe in the urgent need for a radical transformation of both the creative arts industry and the world He has received recognition for his work for theatre Maatin spent a decade as a digital campaigner grassroots fundraiser and movement-building strategic expert. He now brings his skills to the creative arts Duck is at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts on Friday May 9 at 7.30pm and Curve Venue on Saturday Visit https://curvevenue.uk/events/duck or https://norden.farm/events/duck