The Cabinet of Hillingdon Council met on Thursday, 25 May 2023. The meeting discussed and agreed to the new Library Service Strategy, including tiered opening hours for its branches, and approved the closure of Harlington Library. Initiatives to decarbonise council buildings and the repurposing of The Pembroke Centre in Ruislip were also addressed.

Library Strategy and Tiered Opening Hours

The Cabinet agreed to the new Library Service Strategy, which aims to enhance services across five key ambitions: reading, literacy and culture; health and wellbeing; improving digital services and inclusion; information and learning; and sustainable service delivery. A significant aspect of the strategy is the introduction of tiered opening hours for the borough's libraries, designed to align service provision with usage patterns and available resources. This approach will see flagship libraries offering the most extensive hours, while other branches will operate on a tiered system, with some experiencing reduced hours and weekday closures. The decision was made to note the consultation findings and adaptations to the proposed tiered opening hours, and to agree the strategy and tiered hours to take effect later in the financial year. Councillor Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Residents' Services, highlighted that Hillingdon provides more library branches and longer opening hours than many neighbouring boroughs, and expressed confidence that the council meets its legal obligation to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service.

Future of Harlington Library

Following a public consultation, the Cabinet approved the closure of Harlington Library from Friday, 21 July 2023. The decision was based on low usage by the general public, with the majority of visitors being students from Harlington School. The council will inform current service users of the closure and advise on alternative ways to access library services, including the digital library, mobile library, and nearby static libraries. The Corporate Director of Place was authorised to negotiate compensation with Harlington School, and officers were instructed to take necessary steps to terminate the lease. Councillor Lavery noted that while the closure would cause some inconvenience, particularly to residents with disabilities, mitigations such as increased opening hours at West Drayton Library and enhanced mobile library services would be implemented. The school will also provide a dedicated library facility for its students.

Public Preview of Matters to be Considered in Private

The Cabinet noted the reports to be considered in private, which included the repurposing of The Pembroke Centre in Ruislip for new health and GP facilities, and a programme to decarbonise four of the council's largest energy-consuming buildings: the Civic Centre, Winston Churchill Hall, Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Centre, and Highgrove Pool. Councillor Jonathan Bianco, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Corporate Services & Property, highlighted these as positive developments, with the decarbonisation project securing nearly £14 million in external funding.

The Pembroke Centre, Ruislip

The Cabinet declared The Pembroke Centre surplus to requirements and authorised the sale of the freehold interest to GP Confederation and One Medical Property for the development of new health and wellbeing facilities. A short-term letting of the ground floor for GP services prior to the sale was also authorised. This decision is expected to benefit up to 16,000 local residents by enhancing healthcare provision.

Civic Centre and Public Building Decarbonisation Initiatives Programme

The Cabinet accepted the grant from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to support a significant investment in decarbonising four of the council's major energy-consuming buildings. The project, which will involve installing measures such as air source heat pumps, fabric insulation, and solar PV, aims to reduce the council's energy demand and contribute to its net-zero target by 2030. Ameresco has been appointed to prepare detailed designs and project manage the works, and the Cabinet agreed to the capital release of £19,542,000, comprising £5,791,000 of council resources and £13,751,000 in grant funding.

The meeting was chaired by Councillor Ian Edwards, Leader of the Council. Apologies were received from Councillor Jane Palmer. No declarations of interest were made by Cabinet Members present. The decisions and minutes of the previous meeting held on 20 April 2023 were agreed as a correct record. The meeting then moved into Part 2, a private session, to discuss contractual matters.