04:00PM, Wednesday 18 March 2026
Stock housing image.
A review into an IT system Slough council uses to support social housing and temporary accommodation has identified a ‘number of gaps and deficiencies’ in its implementation.
Temporary accommodation is a high-demand statutory service that has been putting pressure on the cash-strapped council due to a historic backlog of cases.
The main housing management system, NEC Housing, which is used to support the management of social housing and temporary accommodation, has also proved to be a challenge.
At a cabinet meeting on Monday, councillors heard that an independent review into the system’s implementation identified ‘a number of gaps’.
The system is used by around 340 staff members across the housing services of the council.
Councillor Robert Stedmond, the council’s lead member for housing and temporary accommodation, said: “A recent independent review identified a number of gaps in how the system is being implemented, which have contributed to operational challenges in the housing services.”
The review found that these issues are not to do with the IT system itself but the way it has been implemented and configured within the council, he added.
A programme to stabilise and recover the housing management system was thus put forward and backed by councillors.
This includes plans to extend the council’s contract with NEC Housing management beyond March 2027 for a further three years for ‘stability’.
A £3.3million budget was allocated within the council’s medium-term financial plan to be invested into the housing systems, including the implementation of the IT programme.
Cllr Stedmond (Con, Cippenham Green) said: “The system underpins the council’s ability to manage its housing and temporary accommodation service efficiently and delivers services to residents and this [stabilisation] programme will ensure it becomes stable, reliable and fit for purpose.”
The plan looks to reset the governance of the system and address ‘the most critical gaps’ around its configuration, data management and reporting processes, he added.
Councillor Wal Chahal (Con, Langley Marish) recognised that the IT system is very complex and has had a lot of eyes on it.
He said: “The system was poorly implemented by the administration but we as a cabinet have robustly challenged the approach being taken in this procurement piece to ensure that we have relevant checks and balances in place so that we get the system we need.”
But Cllr Gurcharan Manku (Con, Langley St Mary’s) asked how far the council is from having a reliable system in place that can then be used to make decisions around temporary accommodation and social housing.
Martin Chalmers, director of digital data and technology, said that the recovery plan will be brought back to cabinet in three months when a clearer timeline will be presented.
Cllr Dexter Smith (Con, Colnbrook and Poyle) reassured councillors that the council will make sure the IT system operates properly.
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