A meeting of Hillingdon Council was scheduled for Thursday, 11 September 2025, covering a range of topics from urgent decisions and cabinet portfolios to questions from both the public and members, as well as several motions. A key item for consideration was the external auditor's report, alongside discussions on financial matters and potential actions the council might take.

External Auditor's Report and Financial Recommendations

The council was expected to consider the recommendations outlined in the External Auditor's report, specifically the Issuance of Recommendations Under Section 24, Schedule 7(2) of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. This report contained seven formal statutory recommendations, prompting a discussion on whether to accept them and what actions to undertake in response.

The recommendations included:

• Developing detailed implementation plans for all planned savings in the 2025-26 budget and future financial strategies.
• Reviewing service delivery models to ensure efficiency and value for money.
• Balancing the schools' budget to prevent further growth in the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit[^2]. [^2]: The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) is a ring-fenced grant for local authorities to fund their maintained schools and academies.
• Reviewing financial forecasting processes to understand and address the emergence of significant financial pressures.
• Establishing a clear understanding of the council's current financial position.
• Addressing issues encountered with the implementation of Oracle EPM[^3] to ensure accurate budgetary information for decision-makers. [^3]: Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is a management process that helps organisations to plan, budget, forecast and report on business performance.
• Continuing the development and implementation of the Financial Modernisation Programme and the wider Governance Review Improvement Plan.

The Statutory Recommendations Report noted that the external auditor made seven formal statutory recommendations to the Council under Section 24 Schedule 7(2) of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.

The report also emphasised the need for the council to take firm action to address systemic weaknesses in its financial management and governance, both before and after the upcoming council election in May 2026.

Motions

Several motions were scheduled for consideration, covering a range of topics:

• Councillor Peter Curling's motion focused on the impact of a third runway at Heathrow Airport on the borough and its residents, reaffirming the council's opposition to the expansion.
• Councillor Sital Punja's motion called for Councillor Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Community and Environment, to reconsider the decision to close the retail operations of the Rural Activities Garden Centre, citing failures in financial analysis, a lack of exploration of alternative providers, and inadequate consultation.
• Councillor Elizabeth Garelick's motion addressed the decline in the cleanliness of residential streets across the borough, urging the administration to take action to improve frontline services such as refuse collection and street cleansing.
• Councillor John Riley's motion reaffirmed the council's commitment to promoting civic pride, celebrating its heritage, and supporting the flying of national flags, while also recognising concerns about protests against illegal immigration and asylum seekers.
• Councillor Stuart Mathers' motion expressed serious concerns about broken promises to residents regarding free weekly bin collections, calling for the implementation and introduction of charges for waste to be referred to the relevant select committee for scrutiny.
• Councillor Ian Edwards' motion addressed the high number of asylum seekers housed in hotels or dispersed accommodation in Hillingdon, calling on the government to cease evicting former asylum seekers without adequate support and accommodation and to refund the costs borne by Hillingdon's residents.

Questions from Members of the Public

Members of the public had submitted questions on various topics, including:

• The Rural Activities Garden Centre: Andrea Scrivens and John Scrivens both asked questions relating to the closure of the RAGC, with Andrea Scrivens asking whether the land had been offered for sale, and John Scrivens asking why the council had failed to process the ACV nominations within the statutory time limit.
• Garden Waste Collection: Lynn Jackson asked why garden waste bags were being collected from homes where no payment had been made.
• Union Park Estate: Daniel O'Neill, on behalf of the Hillingdon Alliance of Residents' Associations, asked for an update on the building safety issues at Union Park Estate in Cowley.
• Racial Hatred: Ade Banjoko asked how the council can reassure residents that it takes hate crime seriously.

Questions from Councillors

Councillors had also submitted questions for cabinet members, covering topics such as:

• Building safety issues at Union Park in Cowley.
• Progress in preparing for reforms to Children's Social Care.
• Progress in managing the High Needs budget and the SEND improvement plan.
• A councillor appearing in a promotional video supporting a third runway at Heathrow.
• Addressing the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit.
• The procurement of Grant Thornton for the Financial Modernisation Programme.
• Providing an independent report on the council's savings against target for the past 15 years.
• Providing required information to the independent auditor to establish whether there is misstated information or actual fraud.
• Reasons for an adverse variance against the outturn for 2024/25.
• The procurement process for delivering two new Transporter buses.
• Completing an audit of the council's spaces and buildings.
• The Home Secretary's approach to illegal immigration.
• The council's level of borrowing compared to other councils.
• The rationale behind closing the RAGC to members of the public.
• The level of Exceptional Financial Support funding needed from central government to avoid a Section 114 Notice[^4]. [^4]: A Section 114 Notice is a formal declaration that a council does not have the resources to meet its financial obligations.

Report of the Head of Democratic Services

The Report of the Head of Democratic Services included updates on urgent decisions that had been implemented. One such decision was an update on the Beck Theatre including interim lease arrangements and payments, finalisation of a long-term lease and capital upgrade works to the Theatre. The report also included a recommendation to note the alteration to Cabinet Portfolios, specifically the transfer of responsibility for Fleet Management from the Finance & Transformation Portfolio to the Planning, Housing and Growth Portfolio.