Council finance plan criticised as 'word porridge'

A council has signed off on a controversial revised plan to fix its finances and governance.

Members approved changes to Spelthorne Borough Council's Improvement and Recovery Plan, the blueprint drawn up after government intervention last year, at a corporate policy and resources committee meeting on Tuesday.

The new scheme is hoped to put the council in a stronger position before the new West Surrey authority takes over in 2027, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

However, some councillors have dubbed it "a big bowl of word porridge" with no clear targets.

The original plan was drawn up after the government issued a formal 'Best Value' direction, following concerns about its finances and decision-making. Government-appointed commissioners remain in place to oversee progress.

Interim programme director Ruth Adams said that the original plan, agreed in October, focused on urgent recovery work, including reducing debt, reviewing reserves and tightening treasury management.

But now she said that the council needed to move to 'business as usual' and sustained change.

"We need to shift the emphasis on sustainability and embedding improvements and change," she said, describing the document as a "living plan" that had evolved in recent months.

The updated plan moves five workstreams into four, merging commercial property, regeneration and housing into a single theme.

However, councillor Howard Williams said the report lacked clear targets and measurable goals.

"I'm afraid it just looked like a big bowl of word porridge," he said.

Councillors Maureen Attewell and Lawrence Nichols echoed concerns about missing milestones, questioning how the audit committee could properly monitor progress without firm dates and indicators.

Adams accepted the criticism, adding that clearer KPIs and milestones would be added.

Finance chief Terry Collier reassured members that the cost of intervention had already been factored into financial plans.

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