The Cabinet of Hounslow Council met on Tuesday 20 January 2026, approving a range of decisions including the Council Tax Base for the upcoming year, a new CCTV maintenance contract, and increases to housing rents and service charges. Significant investment was also approved for the Golden Mile regeneration project and the development of new padel courts at leisure centres.

Council Tax Base 2026-27

The Cabinet unanimously approved the Council Tax Base for 2026/27, setting it at 94,586.52. This figure is calculated in accordance with the details provided in the submitted report¹ and Appendix A². The meeting also noted the Council Tax collection rate, which stands at 98.25% as outlined in section 5 of the report. The Executive Director of Finance and Resources will be responsible for approving the submission of the NNDR 1 return by the statutory deadline of 31 January 2026.

CCTV Maintenance Contract

A new four-year CCTV maintenance contract was approved, to be implemented via the Islington Framework. This Call Off Contract will run from 1st April 2026 to 31st March 2030, with a total value of £2,306,540. Councillor Pritam Grewal, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Customer Experience and Enforcement, introduced the report, highlighting the importance of maintaining the council's CCTV infrastructure.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Dwelling Rents and Service Charges 2026-27

The Cabinet approved several changes to tenant service charges, district heating consumption charges, and garage rents for the 2026-27 period. Tenant service charges will increase from 6th April 2025 as detailed in the report. District heating consumption charges will see a reduction of an average of £2.94 per week, necessitating changes to the Council's administration of its District Heating networks in response to regulatory updates. Estimated leasehold and freehold management fees are set at £352 per annum from 6th April 2025, with reduced fees for those receiving fewer services. Garage rents for tenants, leaseholders, and private lets, along with charges for mobility scooter storage and replacement garage keys, will increase by 4.8%. Authority was delegated to the Director of Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing Management and Homelessness, to implement these recommendations, approve rents and service charges for new dwellings, determine charges for personal utility consumption, and implement rent convergence of up to £1 per week from 6th April 2026, pending the outcome of a government consultation.

Golden Mile Investment Framework

The Cabinet approved the Golden Mile Investment Framework (GMIF), detailed in Appendix 1 of the submitted report³⁴⁵. A funding allocation of £1,115,000 has been approved to support the implementation of the Delivery Action Plan for Phase 1 strategic priority projects, as outlined in Exempt Appendix 3. The Director for Regeneration and Economic Growth has been granted delegated authority to approve all procurement and contractual decisions related to this programme under £1m, in compliance with the Contract Procedure Rules. This framework aims to regenerate a key area of the borough, aligning with the council's commitment to economic growth and development.

New Padel Courts at Isleworth and Hanworth Leisure Centres

The delivery of a project to convert two underused tennis courts into three padel courts at both Hanworth and Isleworth Leisure Centres was approved. A project budget of £950,000 has been allocated from the general fund capital programme unallocated budget. An initial drawdown of £90,000 is approved for the next phase of work, including design and planning. Authority is delegated to the Executive Director of Finances and Resources to approve the drawdown of the remaining project budget, subject to the approval of an Outline and Full Business Case. The Acting Director of Environmental Services is authorised to commence procurement and award contracts for the project, and the Director of ICP and Commissioning will instruct legal contract variations with Lampton Leisure to reflect the increased investment and income. This initiative supports the council's objective to enhance public spaces and promote healthy lifestyles.

Brentford Fountains Leisure Centre Update

The Cabinet agreed to proceed with developing the scheme at the Fountain Leisure Centre site in Brentford. The preferred option includes a wet and dry leisure centre with residential enabling development, and a hybrid planning application will be submitted. Procurement of Legal, Commercial, and Technical advisors is authorised to undertake further feasibility and design work, and to inform the Outline Business Case. Authority to award necessary contracts is delegated to the Director of Asset Strategy. A budget of £4.353m, funded from the Council's unallocated General Fund Capital Programme, has been approved for these activities and to address priority works at the centre.

LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Report and Action Plan

The Cabinet noted the findings of the Corporate Peer Challenge⁶⁷⁸ and agreed to the proposed Action Plan, detailed in Appendix 2 of the submitted report⁹. Progress against this plan will be reported until completion. The Corporate Peer Challenge is a process undertaken by the Local Government Association (LGA) to provide an independent assessment of a council's performance and identify areas for improvement.

Registered Provider Small Sites Programme

The Cabinet approved the disposal of six Council garage sites and the site at Clements Court to a selected Registered Provider(s) for the development of social rented homes, with the council retaining 100% nominations. Authority has been delegated to the Director of Regeneration and Economic Growth, in consultation with the Lead Member for Assets, Regeneration and Development, to agree the selected development partner, final capital receipt based on independent valuation, and the final terms and conditions of each disposal. This programme aims to increase the supply of affordable housing within the borough.