The Devolution of Slough?

Nearly 28 years ago, one chilly October Morning in Slough, a baby was born. That baby? Me. I grew up and spent most of my life in Slough, and I loved it... up until about 2012. Then, it just went downhill.

I mainly blame the council - they are awful. I mean, you've just got to look in the news to see how much they are ruining Slough... and themselves. Of course, not all the blame can lay with them. Highstreets all over the country are becoming ghost towns and shells of the places they once were. But whilst a lot of people always wanted to critisise the place, I would always defend it. Some of my happiest memories live there. But now, I do find it incredibly hard to defend the town.

Because of this, I’ve decided to write a Documentary Proposal, about what I’d like to film (Started writing this in 2018). I've even already interviewed a few people asking their thoughts. I would send it off to someone, but my hopes of ever using my writing degree died a long time ago. Life hasn’t been kind to me on the job front, so now, I just write for myself. For the sheer love I have for it.

So I thought I’d share it all with the people of Vocal.

The story of a community in uproar following the so called ‘better changes’ forced upon the town of Slough in South East England. This documentary follows the lives of a commuter, an OAP and a student, as they try to go about their daily activities and see the struggles they face in light of the council’s new fragmented and money making ideology.

Slough is home to over 149,000 people and these people depend on a reliable council to aid their lives in every way possible. In recent years, Slough Council has taken it upon themselves to ‘improve the heart of Slough’ by focusing on urbanisation and developing the economy. Despite this, the residents of Slough are in uproar at the changes that have been forced upon them. The documentary will give the community a voice – one that has not been heard before. As Slough Council and local businesses chose to ignore the opinions of the people it most affects, The Devolution of Slough? will give them a chance to be heard, and let them discuss what is and isn’t working for them. It will also let them voice their anger and concerns. However, the documentary will show the opinions of people who do think the changes are a good thing; as to make this an informative documentary.

The documentary will give a wider audience of people - on social media - a chance to voice their opinions and discuss why they feel that the council have been successful or unsuccessful in their urbanisation plans, and for them to give their side to the argument which is very much on everyone’s lips as they try to go about their daily lives in Slough. The opening scene will begin with the title sequence to The Office. A cover version of ‘Life on The Road’ will be sung by a person who works in Slough and this will be used during different parts of the documentary where archive pictures of Slough are used when discussing each change.

The First live scene will see the presenter introducing the characters in the documentary which the main narrative will focus on. The narration to accompany this piece will follow the lives of three individuals, focusing on the main issues that have arisen from the ‘improvements’ to Slough: a business woman who commutes to work every day on the new bus service, an OAP who is forced to walk in the middle of the road due to holes in the ground, and now has accessibility issues due to the improvement works to the roads and infrastructure and how it has affected her and her husband. As well as them having to travel further afield for shopping, as Slough is now predominantly made up of phone shops and foreign pop up shops with overpriced stock that’s been made cheaply. And finally, a student, who can no longer study in her local library as since the new one was built (The Curve), it is no longer a quiet and reflective place to study and read – but a building used to hold live concerts, bhangra lessons and other noisy activities. Each of the ‘characters’ will keep a vlog of their daily struggles to be used in the documentary and show their opinions from their own mouths.

Throughout the documentary I will be asking why these changes needed to happen and has anything beneficial come of it thus far? I will be filming within Slough town centre, permission from Slough Council has been requested. Also, I shall be doing some under cover footage in the library with Serena to show the extent of her struggles whilst trying to study. A bus stop in Tamar Way, Langley, will be the main recording point for my OAP character as I follow her and her husband’s story. Furthermore, whilst waiting for a delayed bus, I shall interview them with the questions I have drafted.

The documentary will be filmed over the course of three days and will take a maximum of two days to edit – mainly because of the vlogs. It will be easy to film as permission has already been obtained from each character and the secret recordings will be done on Serena’s own personal mobile; as will the vlogs. Just confirmation from Slough is needed; but this will come through soon as it has already been requested. The Devolution of Slough? ultimately will make the audience feel that they have been heard and that everyone – whether a resident of Slough or not – are able to see that they do not have to put up with changes they do not want. Moreover, the documentary will make the council realise that they need to listen to what their constituents want and make them aware that using propaganda in their advertising isn’t washing with the general public.

Whilst I know this will never be made, I'm really passionate about it. I miss the old Slough. The proper Slough. Not the Slough that now stands there.