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Slough Borough Council has become the first local authority in the country to have its resident’s newspaper, The Citizen, available as a podcast on its website and on iTunes.

For the first time ever, residents can listen to the news and events happening in the borough by logging onto The Citizen part of the website and can either listen to the podcast or download it from iTunes.

The concept was thought up to help make the Citizen more accessible for people who are partially sighted or blind and for people who may have trouble reading.

Even the younger, gadget-loving generation, might download it to their ipod and become more involved in their area.

Kate Pratt, editor of The Citizen at Slough Borough Council, said: “In today’s society it’s a good idea to move with the times and everyone seems to love iTunes.

“As a council, we have a responsibility to make sure all our residents have the opportunity to know what’s happening in their town and by having the stories read out, it helps those who may otherwise not be able to read the paper.

“It’s also a fun way to distribute The Citizen and certainly very different.”

Cllr Dexter Smith, Slough commissioner for democratic services, added: “We are really pleased to be the first local authority to have come up with this idea and put it into practice.

“The idea to put the council’s popular resident’s newspaper onto a podcast is genius. It will allow even more residents to feel involved in the borough and know what is going on around them.”

The Citizen is distributed to more than 45,000 homes in the Slough Borough area and has been published since 1975.

As the podcast is a new concept for the council, any ideas or comments from regular podcast listeners would be gratefully received. Please e-mail citizen@slough.gov.uk.

Slough Borough Council

Secondary school pupils in Slough have achieved the best GCSE results than ever before.

For 5 plus A* to C there was an increase of two percent from last year and 5 plus A* to C, including English and Maths, has risen by nearly three-and-a-half percent.

Overall, 65.2 percent passed 5 plus A* to C and those including English and Maths by 58.5 percent.

Westgate School did extremely well, going from 44 percent of passes at 5 plus A* to C last year to 60 percent this year.

Bill Alexander, assistant director, raising achievement for Slough Borough Council, said: “All the schools have done extremely well and these are the best GCSE results to date.

“Everyone has clearly worked very hard to achieve these results and will have a bright future when going into further education.

"Well done to everyone, especially to Westgate who have done tremendously since last year."

Commissioner for education and children’s services, Cllr David Munkley, added: “Well done to all the pupils and their teachers for such a great result.

“It is very encouraging to see the schools performing so well with many of our students moving to further education with wonderful prospects for future. Well done to all."

Slough Borough Council

Slough Borough Council is warning consumers to be aware of a mobile phone cash-back scam which could leave many out of pocket and paying over the odds for mobile tariffs.

The Slough council’s trading standards team is advising residents to take care when applying for a mobile phone contract which promises to reclaim (cash-back) part of their monthly bill, as refunds may never materialise.

Many cash-back deals are not made with the service provider but with individual outlets, which means that if the shop selling the phone goes out of business, the consumer loses their entitlement to get their cash-back and ends up paying the full amount each month.

Many Slough consumers are signing up to agreements with service providers on the promise of cash-backs from a third party.

Trading standards are advising consumers to carefully check any terms and conditions before entering any mobile phone agreement.

Angela Satterly, principal technical enforcement officer at Slough Borough Council, said: “Many people have gone to shops and signed up for what they thought would be a good cash-back deal.

“However, as the contract has not been dealt directly with the service provider, many consumers have been left paying more for their contract than they expected.

“If the third party or distributor to the shops goes into liquidation, or the service provider does not agree to the terms, the customer ends up locked in a lengthy contract paying the a bigger price.”

Cllr John Edwards, commissioner for Slough public protection, added: “Consumers should be very careful when making choices about which deals to go for with mobile phones.

“Some deals look great on paper, but when you read the small print, you could be liable to pay a lot more than you bargained for.”

Residents are also advised not to accept any deals over the phone, on the doorstep or by leaflets handed out on the street.

If you need further advice contact Consumer Direct on 0845 04 05 06.

Slough Borough Council.

Slough Borough Council will be encouraging residents to make their pledge for a cleaner, safer, greener Slough at a series of road shows being held in the town.

As part of the council’s cleaner, safer, greener campaign, staff will be asking residents to make a pledge, such as re-using carrier bags and taking their litter them with them.

Staff will be adorned with pledge leaflets and some environmentally friendly freebies at the road shows on 30th August from 10am to 1pm at the MyCouncil offices on the High Street, and 31st August from 10am to 1pm at Slough Tesco Extra, Wellington Street.

All residents who make a pledge will be entered into a prize draw to win £150 of Stows Cycles vouchers or £50 of Wexham Nursery vouchers. The draw will take place on 1st October.

Residents can also make their pledges online by logging onto the council's Cleaner Safer Greener webpages

Denise Alder, director of the green and built environment at Slough Borough Council, said: “We have had a fantastic response to the pledges. At Big Green Day Out in June we had 345 pledges made by residents who wanted to make a difference and help the environment.

“These road shows are for residents to, not only make a pledge and pick up some goodies, but to come and talk to us about our campaign.”

Cllr John Edwards, commissioner for Slough public protection, said: “The campaign is really picking up pace, and many residents have already had their say on what changes they are going to make to their lives and the town.

“We want more residents to sign up and make their pledge to show that Slough residents are really proactive in making the town cleaner, safer and greener.”

Slough Borough Council

Police are appealing for two people to contact them as they may have been the last people to see a Slough cyclist before he died.

Officers are keen to speak to an Irish man in his late fifties who was talking to the cyclist, David Garden, while they were in the queue for a kebab van in Slough on 5 August.

The kebab van was parked in Farnham Road, near the junction with Northborough Road, Slough.

Officers would also like to talk to a white woman who got out of a silver saloon car, possibly a Nissan Primera or similar, which was parked on the kerb in Farnham Road

The man and the woman were spotted on CCTV footage taken at about 10.15pm.

David Garden, aged 46, of Northborough Road, Slough, was found lying in Northborough Road next to a bicycle 15 minutes later. He sustained serious head and back injuries and was taken to Wexham Park Hospital where he later died.

A post-mortem carried out by a Home Office pathologist on 6 August found that Mr Garden’s injuries were consistent with being hit by an object travelling at speed.

Slough Sgt Dave Beeson, investigating the incident, said: “I must stress that this man and woman are not suspects, but they might be the last people to see David Garden alive, and may have vital information about what happened to him.”

If you are the man or woman in the CCTV footage, or have any other information, please contact Sgt Beeson at the Roads Policing Department in Taplow via 0845 8 505 505. If you don’t want to speak to police or give your name, please call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Thames Valley Police ~ Slough

Three off-licences in Slough had their licences suspended at a licensing committee at Slough Town Hall last night (16/8) after selling alcohol to under-18-year-olds.

Kays Supermarket in Oatlands Drive, Slough Masterfood Cash and Carry in Stoke Poges Lane and Johal Superstore in Elliman Avenue all had their licences suspended.

Kays Supermarket failed three test purchases by under-18-year-olds, on 4 May, 10 May and 13 July. The shop’s licence will be suspended for eight weeks.

Masterfood Cash and Carry’s licence will be suspended for three weeks after it failed a test purchase on 4 May.

Johal Superstore also failed a Slough test purchase on 4 May, resulting in a licence suspension for one week.

Conditions have been imposed on the shops, including having CCTV installed, training staff to deal with underage customers and implementing a proof of age policy.

The individual employees who made the sales to the underage test purchase customers will all be prosecuted by Trading Standards.

Jim Ferguson, Licensing Officer for Slough, said: “It’s a criminal offence to sell alcohol to under-18-year-olds and these individuals were aware of the law. The police and local authority will take action against any licensed premises which flout the law.”

Thames Valley Police ~ Slough

Two Vietnamese men have been sentenced to a total of six-and-a-half years in prison for cannabis cultivation, following the closure of two cannabis factories in Slough.

Nguyen Van Bui, aged 48, was sentenced to five years at Reading Crown Court yesterday (15/8).

On 20 September 2005, police executed a warrant at an address in Dawley Ride, Colnbrook, Slough. The ground floor of the semi-detached house had been completely taken over for the growing of cannabis plants. The windows and walls were fully insulated, the electricity meter had been bypassed and an elaborate system of lamps and ventilation ducting had been set up.

The kitchen of the Slough house was stacked to the ceiling with bags of compost and fertiliser. In the upstairs bathroom, the bath and several large bins full of water were linked to plastic hoses and pumps. In the bedrooms, police found high wattage lighting equipment and several hundred root balls from previous cannabis yields.

There were a total of 227 growing plants at the address. Forensic experts estimated that these would give an annual yield of approximately 22 kilos of cannabis, with a street value of about £100,000.

A lengthy examination of the scene produced fingerprint evidence that led to Bui’s arrest. His trial began on 13 August and on 15 August a jury found him guilty after deliberating for just one hour 20 minutes. It was disclosed in open court that Bui had a previous conviction for being concerned in the production of cannabis in Hayes in 2005.

On 9 August at Maidenhead Youth Court, a 16-year-old Vietnamese boy charged with cannabis cultivation was sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders’ institution.

On 1 March 2007, police executed a warrant at an address in Canterbury Avenue, Slough. As officers entered the house, the youth was found hiding in a garage at the rear of the property, and was subsequently arrested.

A full search of the address the following day (2/3) revealed 189 fully grown plants and a further 230 seedlings in propagators. The mature plants have an estimated street value of £100 each, with the value of the current yield estimated at around £18,900. Each cannabis factory can produce an average of six crops a year, so the Canterbury Avenue, Slough had the potential to produce around £120,000 of cannabis.

Det Sgt Stuart Brangwin of the Berkshire East Drug Enforcement Team said: “These cases are typical of many Vietnamese cannabis factories discovered in the south-east of England. More than 200 similar factories have been identified across the Thames Valley, London and Surrey areas. They are usually three-bedroom end-of-terrace or semi-detached properties and are rented by Vietnamese gangs through letting agents or privately. Many of the properties are booby trapped, with doors wired up to mains electricity or steps removed from the staircase.

“These factories make a substantial profit and the gangs that run them are linked to other offences such as arson and violent crime.

“Thames Valley Police will continue to shut down cannabis factories and bring those responsible to justice. The sentences handed down this week show that the courts take the matter very seriously.”

Thames Valley Police ~ Slough

Slough Young People’s Centre (SYPC) has made it to the finals of a National Lottery Award under the ‘Best Arts Project’ category, beating London’s Tate Modern.

The Afterhours Arts Academy at SYPC was nominated for the award and has been campaigning to ask residents to vote for them to win the prestigious prize.

SYPC was short-listed from 640 entries to the final ten and were set against serious competition which included the world-renown art gallery.

The academy offers opportunities for disadvantaged Slough 16 to 25 year olds to learn new skills in the creative sector, such as sound engineering, singing, graphic design and radio production.

Many of the courses are accredited and offer performance opportunities to showcase the learning that has taken place.

The students often return to school or go on to university, become tutors with the academy or go on to jobs in the creative sector.

If successful, the academy could win £2,000.

Kristiina Paul, Slough arts development officer for SYPC, said: “We are totally over the moon about getting through to the finals and beating the Tate Modern. Everyone has worked so hard and we are so happy for the public’s support.

“Thank you to everyone who voted for us – we couldn’t have done it without you. All we need to do now is win.”

Commissioner for young people’s services, Cllr Sean Wright, added: “What wonderful news for SYCP.

“The academy offers many young people the chance to start a career in something they love and to encourage them to go back to college or attend university.

“Good luck for the next stage.”

Over the next two weeks SYPC will be campaigning to ask residents to vote for them to win the prestigious prize.

Anyone wishing to vote can visit the SYPC website at http://www.voteforsypc.com/

Slough Borough Council

Slough Police are appealing for witnesses following an aggravated burglary at an office in Bath Road, Slough.

Two men broke into an office near the junction with Glentworth Place, Slough at about 10pm on Saturday (11/8).

They hit an employee in his forties who working in the office on the face with a claw hammer, causing bruising. He ran out of an emergency exit.

The men stole cash from the safe, a wallet and car keys.

The first man is Asian, in his early twenties, just over 6ft and thin with dark hair and either stubble or facial hair. He has a narrow, prominent nose and was wearing a brown zip-up jacket with a brown and red T-shirt which had blocky, possibly cream lettering on it and a dark baseball cap worn back to front. He was carrying a claw hammer which was about a foot long and had a black metal head and dark wooden handle.

The other man is about 20, either white or with slightly dark skin, with dark stubble on his face. He is slim, about 5ft 9ins and was wearing a dark hooded top.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Con David Burrage via the Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. If you don’t want to speak to police or give your name, please call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Thames Valley Police ~ Slough

Police investigating the death of a cyclist in Slough are renewing their appeal for witnesses.

David Garden, 46, of Northborough Road, Slough, was found lying in Northborough Road next to a bicycle at about 10.30pm on Sunday 5 August. He sustained serious head and back injuries and was taken to Wexham Park Hospital where he later died.

A post-mortem carried out by a Home Office pathologist on 6 August found that Mr Garden’s injuries were consistent with being hit by an object travelling at speed.

On Sunday 12 August, exactly one week after the incident, Slough police officers were in Northborough Road seeking information from motorists and passers-by.

As a result of their inquiries, officers are seeking several people who may be able to assist in their investigation. In particular, they would like to speak to a black man aged about 45, wearing a blue sleeveless top, who was with two black boys aged about 12 to 14, wearing grey tracksuits.

The officers are also keen to trace a white Transit-type van or minibus with two occupants.

Sgt Dave Beeson of Roads Policing said: “I would urge these people to come forward as they may have vital information that could help us to find out what happened to David Garden.”

If you were in Northborough Road, Slough at around the time of the incident, or have any other information, please contact Sgt Beeson at the Roads Policing Dept in Taplow on 0845 8 505 505. If you don’t want to speak to police or give your name, please call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Thames Valley Police ~ Slough

Slough Borough Council’s trading standards team, in conjunction with Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue, conducted a two day child seat safety check this month and found that only 47 per cent passed.

Out of the 32 Slough car seats checked, 17 failed. Most of the faults were due to loosely fitted seats, seats not fitting the car properly, and incorrect seat belt routing, all of which can be easily amended.

One of the more shocking finds was buckle crunch, where any part of the plastic from the surround of the seat can rest on the car’s seatbelt clip.

This is dangerous because the pressure exerted will pop or crack the buckle on impact. In a crash at 30mph a child’s body is thrown forward at six times its normal weight, making the child weigh the same as a baby elephant.

Others included –

* A 13-month-old child sitting in a booster seat designed for a bigger child of three years
* Old EU standard seats being used – new regulated ones came out last June
* One seat had no seatbelt tension which could result in serious injury to a child as they would be flung forwards in a car accident
* One seat didn’t fit the car at all

Emma Richards, Slough Borough Council’s trading standards officer, said: “It was very disappointing for us to find that more than 50 per cent of the car seat checks failed and also very alarming.

“As always we cannot stress the importance of correctly installing a child’s car seat. If any parent is in any doubt they should have the seat checked out. We will be holding further events across the year.

“Always check your seat fits the car, if it is incorrectly fitted, you may as well not have one.

“You should check the seat on every journey to make sure it hasn’t come loose. If it has, place as much weight as you can into the seat and pull the seat belt as tight as you can.

“We’d also like to say a big thank you to the fire brigade for helping us on the two days.”

Commissioner for Slough public safety, John Edwards, said: “These results are very disappointing as the number of failed car seats has risen by three percent since the last check in March.

“There is no excuse these days for car seats not to be fitted properly to prevent a child from being seriously injured in a car accident.

“Every parent has a responsibility to ensure their child is safe in the car and, if in doubt, should ask a professional to fit the car seat for them.”

Slough Borough Council

One lucky Slough resident has won £1,000 this week, after signing up to pay their council tax by direct debit.

Iassen Martchev was overjoyed when he found out he’d won and will receive his cheque in a special presentation held at the Slough Town Hall on Thursday, 9th August.

All residents who sign up for the direct debit payment are automatically entered into the annual competition.

Last year’s winner was Tracey Jemmett.

Paying by direct debit helps to save Slough Borough Council, and therefore the taxpayer, money. Every person who pays by direct debit saves the council £6.

Residents also have the choice of three payment dates each month so the money can be paid on the day most convenient for them.

John Bowles, revenues manager at Slough Borough Council, said: “I’m very pleased to announce the winner of the competition and am looking forward to presenting Iassen with his cheque.

“Paying your council tax by direct debit not only helps the council save money, but residents too. It costs £6 on each transaction otherwise and now we can spend more money on delivering essential services to the people of Slough.”

Cllr Geoff Howard, commissioner for resources, said: “Congratulations are in order to Iassen on his wonderful prize.

“He made the right choice by paying his council tax by direct debit and can now enjoy his winnings.”

Slough Borough Council

Slough Borough Council has pushed forward its pledge to make Slough cleaner, safer and greener by introducing new street vacs to its street cleaning operation, making it easier to clean those difficult to reach places.

The heavy duty vacuum cleaners come in either back pack or wheelie bin form and can collect general litter, cigarette ends, glass, drug litter and even dog faeces.

The back packs are ideal for places like steps and stairwells in town centres, multi-storey car parks, children’s play areas and streets where on-street parking means the bigger street sweepers can’t easily get close to kerbs. Gutters can now be cleaned without moving cars.

The wheelie bin model has a bigger capacity. It can provide a quick response clean-up in confined places, picking up heavier litter from grassed areas after events, without damaging turf.

Nigel Dicker, head of environmental services at Slough Borough Council, said: “The new street vacs are the council's way of making sure its street cleaning service is innovative and that its performance stays up amongst the best in the country.

“The street vacs will have a visible presence around the town to show residents that the council is doing its bit for the cleaner, safer, greener Slough campaign.”

Cllr John Edwards, commissioner for Slough public protection, said: “Slough already has some of the cleanest streets in the South East, and the fact that we are investing more in these innovative cleaners, means that we are always looking to make the borough even cleaner.

“The fact that the street vacs can get under parked cars to clean gutters will really make a difference to those streets with on-street parking.”

Slough Borough Council

With the summer holidays in full swing, Langley Pavilion Centre is getting ready to be used by a number of community groups and children’s parties, with the added attraction of a ten percent discount on all room bookings in August and September.

Currently the centre, run by Slough Borough Council, is home to the sea cadets, Age Concern Slough and martial arts classes, but staff are ready to welcome any new groups who would like to use the it.

Paul Anderson, Slough community facilities officer, said; “It's really pleasing to see the centre being used by so many diverse groups.

“I hope that in the future we can welcome new organisations to the centre, which can only benefit the wider community.”

Cllr Julia Long, commissioner for leisure, cultural and community services, said; “I’m really pleased the community has a place where different groups can come together.

“It’s important we use community facilities and bring activities to residents.”

Anyone interested in hiring a room at the centre, either for a group or business use, should contact Debi Broster on 01753 875762.

Slough Borough Council

The Chalvey, Slough Learning and Advice Centre is getting ready to unveil a new set of adult educational courses, just in time for the children going back to school in September.

The daytime courses, run by the Slough Borough Council, range from arts and crafts to computer skills. The classes are open to everyone, including beginners and experts.

* Asian embroidery, between 10am till 1pm,starting Monday 10/09/07 and lasting for six weeks
* Introduction to computers, between 10am till 12pm, starting Tuesday 11/09/07 and lasting for four weeks
* Get Ready for Work, between 9:30am and 11:30starting Friday 14/09/07 and lasting for six weeks.
* Basic IT skills, between 10am and 12pm, starting Thursday 20/09/07 and lasting for four weeks.
* Digital photography, a one day course on Thursday 18/10/07.

For more information on the courses, or to sign up to one of them, please contact Archana Kelkar, on 01753 875533.

Slough Borough Council

Since the launch of Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) licences last July, Slough Borough Council has received more than 60 requests for applications from landlords.

The new licence is aimed at landlords who own properties of three or more floors, with five or more tenants belonging to two or more households.

The government set up the initiative as a safety measure for private tenants to make sure they are living in decent conditions and not overcrowded.

To be granted a licence, the council must be satisfied that:

* The proposed licence holder, landlord or managing agent, are ‘fit and proper’
* Properties and tenancies are managed appropriately
* The accommodation meets all minimum standards, such as sufficient number of toilets, kitchens and bathrooms for the number of residents

Licences will be issued with certain conditions attached, such as producing a valid gas safety certificate to the council on its annual inspection.

Properties will be assessed by the council using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and if the assessment reveals health or safety hazards, the council has the power to ensure the landlord makes improvements.

Manju Dhar, private sector housing manager, said: “A large number of landlords who require licences for their large properties in Slough have made enquiries which is very encouraging.

“The council is looking forward to supporting local landlords and answering any queries they may have about the HMO licensing scheme.

“HMO’s provide much needed affordable housing, particularly for younger people. However, tenants in larger shared properties are often vulnerable to poor housing conditions.

“Slough council wants to work with landlords to drive up standards and eliminate poor quality accommodation.”

Commissioner for housing, Cllr Tony Haines, said: “The HMO licence is an extremely good idea for both landlord and tenant.

“It will help to make sure that houses of multiple occupancy are not overcrowded and have decent living conditions. I strongly urge landlords to apply for this licence if they haven’t already done so.”

Licences for HMO’s in Slough currently cost £350 plus additional fees and are valid for up to five years.

From September 2007, the costs will change to £460 plus any additional costs, but if landlords complete and submit an application before September 2007, they will only pay the minimum fee of £350 plus additional costs (Slough Borough Council reserves the right to charge additional fees where necessary).

Landlords with licencable properties, who have failed to apply, may face fines of up to £20,000, a criminal record and potentially, rent repayment orders.

For more information on mandatory HMO licensing and to identify whether you have a property that needs licensing, visit the External link iconproperty licence website. (opens a new window)

To apply for a HMO licence for a property in Slough call Martin Brown, private housing sector, Slough Borough Council on 01753 474097.

Slough Borough Council

Since the beginning of July, a special team of six trained recycling advisors from Slough Borough Council have been visiting residents to promote the use of the black box scheme.

The advisors are part of a large scale recycling promotional project in 2007 called Recycle for Slough: Every household counts and is funded by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

It also coincides with the council’s new campaign, cleaner, safer, greener Slough.

Over all, the recycling team will have visited around 10,000 households by mid-September.

The advisors are delivering recycling information and are raising awareness of the service and encouraging residents to participate in the scheme. They also take requests for black boxes and can be identified by Recycle Now branded high-visibility vests.

A new leaflet about the black box scheme, Chalvey Waste and Recycling Centre and the mini-recycling centres will be delivered to every household in the town. The campaign will also entail advertising on bus sides and bus stops and information in local newspapers.

Sarah Bryan, community recycling officer for Slough Borough Council, said: “The advisors undertook a pre-project asking for residents’ attitudes about recycling and carrying out a participation survey.

“This will be repeated in the late autumn and will help to measure the impact of the campaign.

“So far, we have received come positive comments and have ordered more black bins for lots of households.”

Commissioner for public protection, Cllr John Edwards, said: “This new initiative is a great way of getting the message about recycling across to residents.

“It gives the council the chance to speak to them and answer any question s they may have and offer advice about the best ways to recycle – leaving out town a cleaner and greener place to live.”

For further information, or for suggestions of community groups contact Sarah Bryan on sarah.bryan@slough.gov.uk or 01753 875275.

Slough Borough Council

Two men have been sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison for armed robbery, following an incident at Castle View post office in London Road, Langley, Slough in January 2007.

Andrew Michael King, 26, and Gerrard Michael Tyndall, aged 36, both of no fixed abode, were each sentenced to six years in prison at Reading Crown Court on Friday (27/7). The men had pleaded guilty to armed robbery at an earlier hearing.

At about 3pm on Tuesday 2 January, there were several customers, a representative from a greetings card company and two female members of staff in Castle View, Slough post office when two men burst in.

One of the men, later identified as Tyndall, was carrying what appeared to be a sawn-off shotgun. He used this to push the card company salesman, who fell backwards, knocking a nearby mug stand and causing some of the mugs to crash to the floor and break.

The two robbers shouted to those present that this was an armed robbery, telling them to move to the back of the shop and get down on the floor. While they all did as they were told, the men approached the counter and demanded money.

During the robbery, another customer walked into the shop. He too was threatened with the weapon and told to lie on the floor.

When the staff behind the counter said they were unable to open the locked safe, the robbers took approximately £1,200 from the till. They also stole some packets of tobacco before leaving the shop and driving off.

The post office staff immediately called the police, who took numerous witness statements and gathered forensic and CCTV evidence. Tyndall was arrested in Slough on 4 January and his accomplice King on 5 January. Both men were subsequently charged with armed robbery.

Slough Det Sgt Lisa Everard, who led the investigation into the robbery, said: “This crime had a big impact on the post office customers, staff and the rest of the community, as the offenders used a firearm and were aggressive. There were all types of people in the shop at the time, from families with children to two elderly ladies, as well as two female staff behind the counter. Everyone was very shaken up and some people were affected long after the robbery took place.

“I would particularly like to thank all those members of the public who were very helpful to us. Their co-operation aided our inquiries significantly. There were also a large number of police officers and police staff from different departments involved in the investigation. It was great teamwork all round – and a great result!”

Thames Valley Police ~ Slough

Slough Borough Council is celebrating today after winning a High Court decision against the government in relation to business growth funding, which was originally denied to the council.

Slough Borough Council believed it had been denied more than £800,000 in business growth money following new businesses locating in the town in 2005.

The council took the case to the High Court following the construction of two new businesses in Slough – Tesco Extra on Wellington St, and the Royal Mail sorting office in Colnbrook.

The council collected extra business rates for these businesses and handed them to the government.

Under the Local Area Business Growth Incentive Scheme (LABGI), which was introduced in 2005/6, the council was due to receive a percentage of the extra business rates collected because it had encouraged business growth in the town.

However, Slough council was denied this money as the Government’s valuation office said both new businesses were merely an extension of an existing building.

This was despite the fact that Tesco had demolished its old store and re-built the ninth largest Tesco in Europe (including nine small shops inside), and the Royal Mail sorting office being a brand new building on a new site.

Both Tesco and Royal Mail generated additional and substantial amounts of business tax which went straight to the government, with no benefits for Slough.

Cllr Richard Stokes, leader of Slough Borough Council, said: “We are delighted with the ruling. This is money that Slough’s residents and businesses should have benefited from and were denied.

“With the old Tesco, we collected £2million in business rates which went straight to the Government. The new store and its nine shops generated £3.9million in business tax (almost double) which again went straight to the government, denying Slough of the business growth money it deserved and rightfully should have had.

“We will be using this additional funding to further improve services for the people of Slough.”

Slough Borough Council