The Residents' Services Select Committee was scheduled to discuss the council's budget and spending, the legal and policy framework for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), and updates on homelessness prevention and sport and physical activity for young people. The committee was also set to review the Cabinet's Forward Plan and its own work programme.

Budget and Spend Monitoring

The committee was scheduled to review the council's budget monitoring position as of January 2026 (Month 10). The report indicated a projected net overspend of £36.3 million on core operating activities, with significant pressures identified in service operating budgets and the budgeted use of reserves. The report also detailed the savings programme, noting that £14.9 million of savings were considered undeliverable. For services within the remit of the Residents' Services Select Committee, a projected overspend of £7.4 million was forecast. This was primarily driven by pressures within Homes and Communities, particularly related to homelessness support and temporary accommodation. The report also detailed the savings position for the committee's portfolio, with a significant portion identified as undeliverable or facing delivery challenges. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) was forecasting a breakeven position, despite pressures on staffing costs and increased energy prices.

Update on the Council's Legal and Policy Framework for Houses in Multiple Occupation

This report was scheduled to provide an overview of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Hillingdon, including the legal controls and council policy framework. Key points included the definition of HMOs under the Housing Act 2004 and planning law, with a distinction made between small HMOs (Use Class C4) and larger HMOs (sui generis). The report highlighted findings from a 2025 Housing Tenure Survey, which indicated a significant number of privately rented properties and an estimated 2,537 HMOs in Hillingdon, with a substantial proportion not licensed. The report detailed the implementation of a borough-wide Article 4 Direction, which came into effect on 11 December 2025, requiring planning permission for all new conversions to small HMOs. It also outlined the introduction of additional licensing controls, which would require HMOs occupied by three or more persons comprising two or more households to be licensed from 20 May 2026. The report aimed to clarify the differences between licensing and planning regimes for HMOs and address frequently asked questions regarding these processes.

Sport and Physical Activity for Young People

The report was set to outline the council's Public Health team's sport and physical activity programme for young people, and women and girls, in Hillingdon for the period 2024-2025. The programme aimed to encourage movement through unstructured play, structured programmes, and sports pathways, with a focus on inclusion and participation. The report included data from the Active Lives Children and Young People Survey, indicating that Hillingdon had slightly lower physical activity levels and marginally higher physical inactivity levels compared to the London average. It detailed provision for children and young people with disabilities, the London Youth Games, the Mini Marathon, and the new Junior parkrun. The report also covered free park tennis sessions, coached tennis sessions, primary school programmes, and the annual Play Day event. For women and girls, the report was to highlight Our Parks free instructor-led fitness sessions and the Couch to 5k programme. The financial implications of the programme, funded by the Hillingdon Public Health Grant, were also to be discussed.

Update on Homeless Prevention Review

This report was scheduled to provide a progress update on the implementation of recommendations from a major review of homeless prevention and the customer journey, conducted by the Residents' Services Select Committee in 2024. The review aimed to improve the experience of those presenting as homeless, manage expectations, enhance satisfaction, streamline processes, and ultimately provide better support to prevent homelessness. The report noted the significant pressure on homelessness services, with a doubling of homelessness presentations and demand for Temporary Accommodation (TA) since 2022/23. It detailed workstreams focused on increasing prevention, improving access to alternative housing options, reducing TA costs, increasing move-on into social housing, and modernising the service through a restructure. The report also referenced the Hillingdon Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2026-2030, which places prevention at its core and incorporates findings from the Select Committee's review. A table was to outline progress on specific recommendations, such as the adoption of the term 'residents' and the development of a Residents' Charter.

Forward Plan

The committee was scheduled to monitor the Cabinet's latest Forward Plan, which outlines key decisions and other decisions to be taken by the Cabinet collectively and Cabinet Members individually over the coming year. The report detailed the actions available to the committee, including providing specific comments on future reports, requesting further information, and potentially reviewing forthcoming decisions post-decision. The Forward Plan itself was to be presented, detailing upcoming business items, their responsible Cabinet Members and officers, and the relevant Select Committee.

Work Programme

This report was intended to enable the committee to note future meeting dates and forward plan its work for the current municipal year. It listed forthcoming meeting dates and details of past site visits undertaken by committee members. The report also outlined the committee's role in making recommendations to the Cabinet and how this benefits Hillingdon residents by improving Council services. The multi-year work programme was to be presented, detailing planned reviews and ongoing monitoring activities, including regular service and performance monitoring, one-off information items, and updates on past review deliveries.