This meeting of Hounslow Council is expected to include the appointment of a new Director of Law and Governance, the confirmation of the Treasury Management Mid-Year Report, and the approval of a new Statement of Gambling Principles. There will also be two motions from the Labour group, two motions from the Conservative group, and an update on the council’s finances.

Appointment of Monitoring Officer

Hounslow Council will be asked to formally appoint Benita Edwards as the new Director of Law and Governance and the council’s Monitoring Officer¹. Ms Edwards is currently employed at the London Borough of Haringey Council.

Treasury Management Mid-Year Report

This report will update the council on its Treasury Management activities, covering borrowing and investments, for the six months ending 30 September 2024. The report says the council borrowed £30 million from the West Midlands Combined Authority at a fixed rate of 5% and let an additional £11.7 million to Lampton Investment 360 Ltd², a company wholly owned by the council. There is a recommendation to note that the council disinvested from Fidelity International’s Multi Asset Income Fund, which had consistently underperformed, and invested those funds in Money Market Funds.

Approval of Statement of Gambling Principles

Hounslow Council are required by law to publish a new Statement of Gambling Principles every three years, to ensure that the council’s licensing functions under the Gambling Act 2005 operate effectively, in accordance with national guidelines and legislation, and to ensure that the views of residents are taken into account. This report proposes that the council adopt a new statement, following a public consultation which received responses from five people, including The Betting and Gaming Council. The report summarises those responses and the changes that have been made to the draft statement. It also refers to the council’s Local Area Profile³, which identifies the parts of the borough in which there is the greatest risk of residents being vulnerable to gambling harms.

Motion: A Budget to Fix Our Foundations

Proposed by Councillor Shantanu Rajawat and seconded by Councillor John Stroud-Turp This motion congratulates the recently elected Labour Government on what it says will be the start of an economic recovery. It welcomes the new government's commitment to ‘fix’ public services, which it says had been damaged by the previous Conservative government’s spending cuts and policies. The motion asks the leader to write to the Secretary of State and ask for a new multi-year funding settlement for local government and an extension of the Household Support Fund. The motion is supported by Councillor Katherine Dunne, Councillor Raghwinder Siddhu, Councillor Salman Shaheen and Councillor Samia Chaudhary.

Motion: Supporting Hounslow's Small Businesses and Charities Amidst Increased National Insurance Contributions

Proposed by Councillor Joanna Biddolph and seconded by Councillor Gabriella Giles This motion says that the recent Budget, in particular the increase in Employer National Insurance Contributions and the lowering of the secondary threshold, will adversely affect Hounslow’s small businesses and charities. It calls on the council to offset those impacts by launching a ‘shop local’ campaign to encourage residents to support local businesses; expanding the ‘free’ 30-minute parking scheme and ensuring that it really is free; extending business advisory services such as Hounslow Business First and ensuring such services are localised; making sure that the Small Business Resilience Fund includes local charities; and asking the council’s Community Development Team to support those charities struggling with increased running costs.

Motion: South Western Train Services and the Hounslow Loop

Proposed by Councillor Tony Louki and seconded by Councillor Marina Sharma. This motion expresses concern about the current level of service on the South Western Railway’s Hounslow Loop line, in particular the short notice cancellation of trains and reduced weekend service which has resulted in just two trains per hour. It notes the Secretary of State for Transport’s serious consideration of putting South Western Railway services under her control and welcomes the new government’s commitment to establishing ‘Great British Railways’ to oversee rail transport in the UK. The motion asks the Leader to write to the Managing Director of South Western Railway to arrange a meeting to discuss how train services, particularly on the Hounslow Loop, can be improved.

Council’s Financial Position

This is an update on Hounslow Council’s current financial position, following a question about the council’s finances at the previous meeting in September.

Petitions

Two petitions will be presented:

• Councillor Amy Croft will present a petition from the Strand on the Green Residents’ Association with over 400 signatures. The subject of the petition is not known.
• There will be a petition calling for the council’s Pension Fund to divest from fossil fuels. Councillor Gerald McGregor will advise the meeting that there has been no response from the council since he presented a petition on road safety in Chiswick in March.

State of the Borough

The Leader will present the State of the Borough report. This is an annual report intended to provide a clear understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the borough in the context of the council’s corporate plan, Ambitious for Hounslow, which runs to 2026.