The Council of Hillingdon Council met on Thursday, 18 January 2018, to discuss a range of important issues including the council tax base, business rates, and the future of Uxbridge Police Station. Key decisions included the approval of the council tax base for 2018-19 and the business rates forecast, with a notable abstention from the Labour group on a specific recommendation regarding the council tax reduction scheme.

Council Tax Base and Business Rates Forecast for 2018-19

The council agreed to the proposed timetable of meetings for 2018-19 and noted the use of urgency procedures since the last meeting. A significant item was the calculation of the council tax base and business rates forecast for the upcoming year. Councillor Jonathan Bianco, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Corporate Services & Property, presented the recommendations, highlighting an increase of 1,850 Band D equivalent homes, which is expected to generate approximately £2 million in additional funding for the general fund.

However, the Labour group expressed concerns regarding recommendation E, which relates to the council tax reduction scheme. Councillor June Nelson, Chief Whip (Labour), moved to vote on this recommendation separately, arguing that cuts in government funding and the alignment with housing benefit, including the two-child rule, unfairly penalise families with a third child due to abuse or other extraordinary circumstances. Despite this motion, the proposal to vote on recommendation E separately was lost. The Labour group subsequently abstained from voting on the overall recommendations, with Councillor Nelson stating, the Labour vote abstains from voting.

Uxbridge Police Station Future

A key public question concerned the offer by Hillingdon Council to purchase Uxbridge Police Station and contribute £250,000 annually for five years to ensure adequate facilities for police operations. Councillor Douglas Mills, Cabinet Member for Community Commerce and Regeneration, provided an update, stating that the offer has been sent to MOPAC (Metropolitan Police Authority) and further dialogue is expected.

Councillor Mills criticised the rationale behind the closure of police stations across London, including Uxbridge, suggesting that the funds raised from the disposal of Uxbridge Police Station are not as substantial or as immediate as claimed by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. He highlighted that the station is not physically closing until at least 2020, and the only savings achieved so far are minimal, involving the relocation of two officers. Councillor Mills also addressed comments from Peter Curling, Leader of the Hayes Independent Group, and the GMB union, who suggested Hillingdon Council should scrap its plans to spend £4.5 million on saving the police station to prevent cuts to other services. Councillor Mills defended the council's commitment to core services such as weekly refuse collection and recycling, and the expansion of school places, contrasting this with what he described as the Labour Party's potential approach.

RAF Northolt and Heathrow Expansion

The issue of RAF Northolt and the potential expansion of Heathrow Airport was raised by Councillor Allan Kauffman, who asked for an update on the response from those funding the Stop Northolt campaign. Councillor Ian Edwards, Leader of the Council, reiterated his belief that the campaign is funded by supporters of Biggin Hill Airport for commercial gain, using professional organisations to spread fake news stories. He stated that the campaign, which involved a Labour MP, a Conservative GLA member, and the Hillingdon Labour Group, had no impact on the Conservative administration.

Councillor Edwards identified the building of a third runway at Heathrow as the only realistic threat to RAF Northolt, explaining that the airspace would be required for Heathrow aircraft. He criticised the current National Policy Statement for the third runway, deeming it flawed for not providing specific flight path details to affected communities. Hillingdon Council, along with the boroughs of Wandsworth, Richmond, and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, are taking robust action against this approach.

Road Safety Initiatives

Councillor Teji Barnes asked for an update on the Safe Drive Stay Alive event, which is fully funded by the administration. Councillor Keith Burrows, Chair of the Registration & Appeals Committee, reported that 15 secondary schools and 1,714 pupils attended the event this year, bringing the total over five years to over 8,500 pupils. He highlighted that Bishop's Hole school has made attendance compulsory and integrated it into their citizenship lessons.

In response to a supplementary question, Councillor Burrows affirmed that the dedicated road safety budget is having a significant impact. He cited a letter from Mike Brown, Commissioner of Transport for London, who was impressed with the 18% reduction in accidents in the last year in your borough and noted that no other London borough could compare. Hillingdon Council is now in dialogue with Transport for London to share its successful strategies.

Uxbridge Library Visit

Councillor Judy Kelly inquired about the visit of Darren Henley, Chief Executive of the Arts Council for England, and Sophie Lancaster from the Arts Council of England to Uxbridge Library on December 12th. Councillor Richard Lewis, Cabinet Member for Central Services, Culture and Heritage, described the visit as fabulous, with Henley and Lancaster being particularly fascinated by the dementia table. He reported that they were briefed on the library's services, including the Music Hub, Culture Bite, and the Arts in Action programme.

Councillor Lewis shared positive feedback from Darren Henley, who tweeted that the visit was inspirational and that Uxbridge Library is a brilliant cultural beacon. He contrasted Hillingdon's commitment to its libraries with neighbouring boroughs that are cutting back services, highlighting the council's plan to rebuild one library and update the other 16.

Primary School Performance

Councillor Wayne Bridges asked for an update on the most recent league tables regarding primary school performance. Councillor David Simmonds CBE, acknowledging that schools are autonomous institutions, noted that Hillingdon is fortunate to have many excellent school leaders. He explained the shift in government reporting from raw attainment figures to progress measures and value added, which better reflects the performance of schools serving children from less affluent backgrounds.

Councillor Simmonds highlighted that Hillingdon is recognised as one of the top boroughs in the country for providing access to schools with extremely high value added scores. He specifically mentioned schools in wards like Uxley and West Creighton, such as St Matthew's school and the new St Martin's school, as examples of institutions demonstrating outstanding progress for children who may not have had the same advantages at the start of their lives. He commended the work of head teachers, governors, and parents in ensuring children have a good chance of success.