With the local elections taking place next week, parties across Hillingdon have published their manifesto of commitments and promises for the next four years should they control the council after May 7. The Conservatives have controlled the borough for 20 years, although they face competition from Labour, who are the biggest opposition party at the moment, and Reform UK, who have seen surging support recently. The Greens currently hold one seat which they will be hoping to increase. While there are currently five independent councillors in the borough, The Hayes Independent Party are a new party on the scene with 14 candidates.
Below, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has compiled a list of key pledges made by each party in Hillingdon ahead of the local elections. You can see a full list of the candidates by ward in a separate article.
Conservative Party
These are some of the key policies and things the Conservatives have pledged in Hillingdon. The party has not published a manifesto, instead posting a series of short videos on policies.
Housing
- Introduce tougher planning rules and stronger enforcement to crack down on unsuitable Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
- Ensure homes go to local residents first.
Communities
- Fight to ensure the government pledge to rebuild Hillingdon Hospital is upheld.
- Secure strong local services and children's services.
- Support older people by providing activities that tackle loneliness and deliver better joined-up healthcare closer to people's homes.
Environment
- Oppose Heathrow Airport expansion and construction of a third runway.
- Protect parks, open spaces and the green belt from future developments.
Finance and local economy
- Support local businesses by maintaining the Hillingdon First card.
- Keep council tax as low as possible.
Hayes Independent Party
The Hayes Independent Party has not published a manifesto but has published a series of pledges and policies. You can read them in full on their website.
Communities
- Strengthen community bonds through support for local groups, initiatives and services that enhance the wellbeing of all residents.
- Champion transparency and accountability in local government by treating every vote as a free vote rather than whipping councillors.
Environment and transport
- Protect parks and green spaces.
- Advocate for sustainable development and initiatives that enhance Hayes.
Finance and local economy
- Support local businesses and initiatives that create jobs to boost the local economy.
Green Party
The Greens have one councillor in Hillingdon following Councillor Abby joining the party after Labour expelled him. You can read their manifesto in full on their website.
Housing
- Push for the delivery of good-quality council homes and continue to campaign for rent controls.
- Prioritise housing developments that meet local needs and prioritise affordable homes over development profits.
Communities
- Funding for public services, school funding and youth services.
- Work to ensure streets are safer via local partnerships to address anti-social behaviour, hate crime and theft.
Environment and transport
- Oppose Heathrow expansion.
- Plant more trees, protect green spaces, review waste and recycling methods, and support active travel.
Finance and local economy
- Revitalise high streets by pushing the council to bring empty buildings into use for the community.
- Withhold council money from companies profiting from or enabling war crimes.
Labour Party
These are some of the key policies and things the Labour Party have pledged in Hillingdon. You can read their full manifesto on their website.
Housing
- Introduce a housing charter to set clear standards for renters, enforce HMO regulations, and ensure proactive monitoring.
- Review the Local Plan to focus on affordable and social housing alongside better infrastructure.
Communities
- Establish three new enforcement hubs and effective CCTV monitoring to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
- Bring back the council's out-of-hours service and deliver three neighbourhood health hubs in Uxbridge, Hayes and Ruislip Manor to address health inequalities.
- Create "Hillingdon Learning" to improve SEND provision by bringing schools together.
Environment
- Increase enforcement patrols and rapid clean-up teams to crack down on fly-tipping and litter.
- Protect weekly bin collections, improve road sweeping and upgrade poorly lit pathways.
- Invest in the maintenance and long-term protection of "neglected" green spaces like Ruislip Woods and Stockley Park.
Finance and local economy
- Scrap the garden waste collection charge.
- Keep council tax as low as possible.
- Revitalise High Streets.
- Protect local assets like the Beck Theatre.
- Create a youth job hub.
Liberal Democrats
These are some of the key policies and things the Liberal Democrats have pledged in Hillingdon. You can read their full manifesto on their website.
Housing
- Accelerate council house building to provide genuinely affordable homes and properly fund a dedicated Housing Advice and Prevention Service.
- Create a binding "Tenants' Charter" for faster repairs and introduce a dedicated enforcement team to inspect private HMOs.
- Lobby the government for powers to suspend Right to Buy and force developers to use planning permissions or lose them.
Communities
- Create local forums with budgets to revitalise areas and restore public access to police stations.
- Ensure every young person has access to a trusted mentor and conduct an independent investigation into SEND reform readiness.
- Launch a campaign to identify hidden carers and accelerate Disabled Facilities Grants for home adaptations.
Environment and transport
- Oppose the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport and ensure environmental mitigation for HS2, including relocating the Hillingdon Outdoor Activity Centre.
- Introduce a carbon budget, increase tree planting, and develop a more flexible and affordable garden waste collection scheme.
- Maintain current travel concessions like the 60+ card and the Freedom Pass.
Finance and local economy
- Address the council's £150 million debt through prudent financial management and harness the talents of local people to fix it.
- Support town centres to be economically successful, making it easier to convert vacant units into community hubs.
- Award an "Amazing High Street" prize and investigate the impact of rising parking charges.
Reform UK
Reform UK has not published a local manifesto for Hillingdon. The LDRS contacted Reform UK requesting a copy of a manifesto or commitments, although no response was received by the time of publication. However, at a rally in Leeds in March, Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage pledged that if his party took control of more councils in May, it would ensure lower council tax rises than authorities run by other parties. Richard Tice, the party's Deputy Leader, has also told reporters that it would be compulsory for schools to have a photo of the King and Union flags on display, though this is likely to be a national policy if they got into government. Hillingdon Reform have pledged to launch an official inquiry into the dealings around Cowley Meeting Hall.
