The Cabinet of Hounslow Council met on Tuesday 8 September 2026, approving a new residential project for looked-after children, a climate change resilience plan, and school term dates. The meeting also addressed the annual housing landlord complaints report, payroll services contract, and an update on the equality, diversity, and inclusion strategy.

West London Residential Project - Outline Business Case

Councillor Madeeha Asim, Cabinet Member for Children and Young Futures, presented an outline business case for the West London Residential Project, which aims to develop a new six-bed children's home for looked-after children with complex mental health needs. This pioneering proposal is a partnership between Hounslow Council, Brent, E-Link, the local ICB, and the West London NHS Trust. Councillor Asim highlighted that the project aligns with the Council's new Corporate Plan 2026-2030, A Fairer Future, by investing in better outcomes for children and young people. The home will offer an integrated model of care, combining residential and clinical services. Key benefits include improved outcomes for children by enabling them to remain closer to their communities and support networks, and significant financial savings of approximately £500,000 annually by reducing reliance on expensive external placements. The proposed site is an underutilised council-owned building, offering an opportunity to bring a valuable asset back into productive use. The Cabinet unanimously approved the recommendations, including an increase of £808,000 to the project budget, bringing the total to £3.978 million, and authorised the drawdown of funds for the next stage of the project.

Housing Landlord Annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report

Councillor Sue Sampson, Cabinet Member for Housing, presented the Annual Housing Landlord Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report for 2025/26. The report indicated an increase in complaints received, from 1,019 in 2024/25 to 1,095 in 2025/26, a rise of 7.5%. However, complaint handling performance showed significant improvement, with 85% of complaints responded to within required timescales, up from 59% in the previous year. Overall compliance with the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code also improved from 46% to 65%. The primary themes for complaints were delays in service delivery, communication failures, poor or incomplete repairs, and weaknesses in case ownership. Improvement activity has focused on stronger oversight, clearer accountability, systematic root cause analysis, and a structured lessons learned process. The Cabinet noted the report and the Council's self-assessment arrangements against the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code.

Term and Holiday Dates for Community Schools

Councillor Madeeha Asim, Cabinet Member for Children and Young Futures, presented the proposed school term and holiday dates for maintained community schools for the academic years 2027/28 to 2029/30. The dates were developed following consultation with schools, consideration of pan-London arrangements, and neighbouring authorities. While some schools requested a two-week October half-term or an extended December term, these were not adopted to maintain consistency with neighbouring authorities and balance teaching weeks across the academic year. The Cabinet unanimously approved the proposed dates and delegated authority to the Executive Director of Children and Adults to determine future school term and holiday dates following appropriate consultation.

Climate Change Resilience Plan

Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Public Realm, presented the Climate Change Resilience Plan. He highlighted the increasing frequency and severity of climate impacts, such as heatwaves and flooding, and the need for the borough to be prepared. The plan assesses risks under +2°C and +4°C global warming scenarios and consolidates existing resilience activities into a strategic framework. Six priority climate hazards were identified: surface water flooding, high temperatures and heatwaves, drought and water stress, severe storms, tidal flooding, and wildfires. The plan outlines a delivery framework based on community engagement, partnership working, operational adaptation, policy, and data. Key priority actions include strengthening drought resilience, protecting essential infrastructure, improving resilience to extreme heat, reducing overheating in buildings, increasing community preparedness for surface water flooding, reducing flood risk in vulnerable locations, supporting long-term flood defence planning, and reducing wildfire risk. The Cabinet approved the plan and endorsed the priority actions.

Payroll Service and HR/Payroll System Contract

Councillor Max Mosley, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, presented the full business case for a new contract for Payroll services and an HR/Payroll system. The current contract expires in September 2027, and a competitive procurement process identified a preferred bidder. The new contract, for an initial six years with an option to extend for up to four years, is expected to deliver non-financial benefits such as improved payroll accuracy and system functionality, alongside indicative financial savings from 2028/29. An investment of £1.493 million from the Council's Corporate Investment & Transformation Fund is required for implementation. Cabinet approved the award of the contract and delegated authority to the Executive Director of Resources to finalise the terms.

A Fairer, More Equal Hounslow - Year Three Progress Update

Councillor Samia Chaudhary, Cabinet Member for Transformation and Customer Experience, presented the Year 3 progress update on the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy, A Fairer, More Equal Hounslow. The report highlighted achievements across the three pillars: Equality by Place, Equality by Groups, and Equality as an Employer. Notable successes included significant investment in Equality Opportunity Areas (EOAs), improved employment and skills outcomes for residents, targeted health interventions, and progress in workforce diversity and inclusion. The report proposed a refreshed three-pillar framework: Achieving Equality for the Borough, Equality for Residents, and Equality for the Organisation, to better align EDI priorities with the Corporate Plan 2026-2030, A Fairer Future. Cabinet agreed to note the progress, approve the designation of 34 priority neighbourhoods as EOAs, and endorse the future direction for the EDI strategy.

Financial Monitoring Update Q1 2026/27

Councillor Max Mosley, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, presented the Quarter 1 financial monitoring update for 2026/27. The Council is forecasting a £2.8 million overspend against its General Fund revenue budget, primarily driven by pressures in Children and Adult Services. However, the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is forecast to be in line with budget, and the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) position is also as approved, though it includes a significant accumulated deficit. The report noted that savings delivery is broadly on track, with undeliverable savings remaining within the established contingency. Cabinet noted the forecast General Fund overspend, the HRA and DSG positions, savings delivery progress, and the capital programme updates. They also approved revisions to internment fees and charges and an additional budget allocation for an SEN Specialist Base at Springwest Academy.

Procurement Plan - September 2026

Councillor Max Mosley, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, presented the Procurement Plan for September 2026. The report sought approval to commence procurement for Leaseholder Buildings Insurance, Microsoft Licensing, and Weight Management Services, with delegated authority for contract awards in some instances. Cabinet approved the commencement of procurement for Leaseholder Buildings Insurance (£10.618 million), Microsoft Licensing (£6 million), and Weight Management Services (£1.2 million). They also approved the extension of the Hounslow Home Care contract by 10.5 months.

The meeting concluded with the exclusion of press and public for the remaining exempt items.