The Cabinet of Hillingdon Council met on Thursday 25 June 2026 to discuss the council's annual performance, budget outturn, and local planning matters. Key decisions included the approval of the Annual Performance Report for 2025/26 and the Council Budget for 2025/26 draft outturn position, alongside the commencement of public consultations for the Local Plan and the West London Waste Plan.

Annual Performance Report 2025/26

Cabinet noted the Annual Performance Report for 2025/26, which highlighted areas of strength across the borough, including road maintenance, recycling rates, early years education uptake, and adult social care. Hillingdon continues to outperform London averages in several key services. The report also acknowledged ongoing challenges such as pressures on homelessness, demand for SEND services, and anti-social behaviour. Councillor Richard Mills, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Digital & Transformation, introduced the report, emphasising its role in shaping future priorities and investment. Matthew Wallbridge, Chief Operating Officer, added that performance indicators are regularly monitored using automated data to identify areas for improvement. Cabinet agreed to the recommendations in the report, which included noting the findings and presenting them to the Audit, Finance & Performance Committee.

Council Budget - 2025/26 Draft Outturn Position

Cabinet approved the recommendations outlined in the substantial report concerning the Council Budget for 2025/26. Councillor Steve Tuckwell, Leader of the Council, presented the report, noting that while an overspend of £29 million remained, there had been a significant improvement of around £7.7 million compared to earlier in the year. This improvement was attributed to clear political leadership, determined focus on financial control, departmental underspends, additional public health funding, and tighter financial management. The Dedicated Schools Grant deficit had reduced, and the Housing Revenue Account remained stable with £15 million in reserve. The capital programme continued to show strong delivery, with variances largely due to phasing and timing. Cabinet agreed to the 14 recommendations, which included noting the General Fund Overview, Revenue Outturn, and Capital Outturn positions, approving capital budgets to be carried forward, updated reserve levels, and the bringing forward of £11.6m of funding for demolition works on the Hayes Regeneration Scheme. They also approved the acceptance of significant grant funding from the Violence Reduction Unit, the GLA's Green Roots Fund, the DfE Arts Council Music Hub, and the MHCLG's Local Authority Housing Fund. Pete Carpenter, Deputy Chief Finance Officer, commented that the report marked further progress in the Council's financial recovery, supported by exceptional financial support, though reserves remained below the London average.

Local Plan Scoping Consultation (Policy Framework)

Cabinet approved the undertaking of a public scoping consultation on the Local Plan, in line with the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026. Councillor Nick Denys, Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing & Property, described the consultation as a consultation on a consultation but stressed its legal necessity and importance in preparing residents for discussions on Hillingdon's future growth. The consultation will seek views on land to be considered for the Local Plan and how residents wish to be consulted. It also outlines environmental challenges and opportunities, aligning with the Council's ambitions for residents to live active and healthy lives, enjoy green spaces, and reside in a sustainable, carbon-neutral borough. The consultation is set to run from 9 July to 21 August, with a main consultation anticipated in the winter. Cabinet agreed to the recommendations, delegating authority to the Director of Planning and Sustainable Growth, in consultation with Councillor Denys, to make necessary editorial amendments.

West London Waste Plan - Regulation 19 Consultation (Policy Framework)

Cabinet recommended to Full Council the authorisation of the publication and consultation of the Proposed Submission (Regulation 19) West London Waste Plan. Councillor Denys introduced the report, explaining that the plan had been developed collaboratively with neighbouring West London boroughs to ensure a coordinated approach to waste management. The plan had been tested by consultants to ensure it could deliver sufficient capacity for waste, even in uncertain environments. For Hillingdon specifically, the proposed sites remained unchanged from the existing plan, with two previously proposed new sites rejected due to unsuitability. Dan Kennedy, Corporate Director of Residents Services, confirmed that the programme was on track to meet government deadlines. Cabinet noted the report and approved the recommendations, which will be forwarded to Full Council for final approval.

Public Preview of Confidential Reports

Cabinet noted the reports to be considered later in private, as outlined in the agenda pack. Councillor Steve Tuckwell, Leader of the Council, introduced this item, stating that for transparency, a public preview of these confidential items was provided.

Contract: The Servicing, Maintenance & Repair of Domestic Lifts & Hoists

Cabinet accepted the tender from Caretech UK Ltd and awarded a contract for the servicing, maintenance, and repair of domestic lifts and hoists for Council housing properties. The contract is for an initial period of three years from 1 September 2026, with an option to extend for a further two years. Authority to agree any extensions was delegated to the Corporate Director for Residents Services, in consultation with Councillor Denys.

Contract: Data Backup & Cyber Recovery Solution

Cabinet accepted the single tender from Rubrik, via their partner Cisilion Ltd, for the provision of data protection and cyber recovery suites. This contract, secured through the SBS Digital Workplace Solutions Framework, will cover on-premise, cloud (Microsoft Azure), M365, and account identity infrastructure for a three-year period from 13 July 2026. The value of the contract is approximately £1,123,454. Authority for further decisions required to implement this contract was delegated to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with Councillor Richard Mills, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Digital & Transformation.

Contract: The Servicing & Repair of Domestic Gas Boilers

Cabinet approved the award of a contract to Oakray Ltd for the servicing, repairs, maintenance, and installation of domestic gas-fired heating installations for the London Borough of Hillingdon. The contract is for a period of four years, with an option to extend for a further two years, at an estimated annual value of £2.54 million. Councillor Denys, Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing & Property, highlighted that this contract would ensure the safety of residents and housing properties, given the 8,700 boilers in the housing stock.

Procurement of Fleet Vehicles

Cabinet approved the acceptance of tenders from Vauxhall Motors Ltd via Stellantis &You UK Ltd dealership for the one-off purchase of 32 diesel vehicles. This includes 15 small LCV vehicles (£299,462), 5 medium LCV vehicles (£119,088), 2 x 3.5t Tipper vehicles (£71,334), and 10 x 3.5t Tip & T.Pod vehicles (£373,290), totalling £863,174. Councillor Wayne Bridges, Cabinet Member for Residents Services, noted that these vehicles were end-of-life and subject to daily ULEZ charges, ensuring services continue to run efficiently and reliably. He also confirmed that the fleet would transition to electric vehicles over time, subject to charging infrastructure and grid capacity.

Corporate Disposals Programme 2026/27 - Former Conway Hall Site, Hayes

Cabinet approved the declaration of the former Conway Hall site, located between Denbigh Drive and Conway Drive, Hayes, UB3 1QD, as surplus to requirements. The freehold interest of the site will be disposed of on the open market. Councillor Denys highlighted that the site had been vacant for several years and no suitable community or operational use had been identified. The disposal aims to bring the land back into productive use, generate a capital receipt for reinvestment, and remove ongoing maintenance costs. Authority for all other necessary decisions regarding the disposal and final sale was delegated to the Corporate Director of Residents Services, in consultation with Councillor Denys.

The meeting concluded the public part of the session, with the live YouTube feed being closed for a private, confidential session.