News from your council January/February 2018 Improve your health and fitness Activities for all ages Council tax frozen for 10th year Grants boost business HEART MONTH NEW COURSES VOLUNTEERS AWARDED advertisements people Contents January/February 2018 ▸ Cover stories ▸ 9 Council tax frozen for 10th year elcome to a new year and the first edition Continued investment in facilities and services. of Hillingdon People for 2018. In this issue you will be able to read about our ▸ 10 New visitor centre nears completion W Battle of Britain Bunker receives precious collection budget for 2018/19 and how for a 10th successive year of World War Two flying ace. your council tax will be frozen and for a third successive 13 Creating more primary school places year we will not levy a social care precept. Residents over ▸ the age of 65 may be receiving their 12th year of a council Expansion works underway at Warrender Primary tax freeze and once again Hillingdon residents will pay fees and Hillside Infant and Junior Schools. and charges for council services and facilities at ▸ 14 Retailers hail shop front grant scheme a success least 10 per cent cheaper than residents in our The council’s improvement scheme has helped neighbouring boroughs. more than 180 shops to boost business. As well as being able to maintain the council tax freeze, ▸ 16 Improve your health and fitness this year we are continuing to provide the facilities and services The council offers a wide range of sports and that our residents value, including our libraries, award- activities for residents of all ages. winning parks, free burglar alarms for the over-65s and a weekly free of charge refuse and recycling collection. On ▸ 19 Young people in care rewarded Annual Kids in Care Awards celebrate the top of which we will be building a new swimming pool and achievements of children in care. providing another waste and recycling centre. It is more telling at this time of year, as councils across ▸ 20 Considering a move to a smaller council property? the country are setting their budgets in what remains Your questions on downsizing answered. financially challenging times for local government, just how important our policies of sound financial management Regulars and good business practice are in enabling us to continue 4 Hillingdon News 22 Volunteers bucking the trend of tax rises and service and facility cuts. In this edition you can also read about a variety of new 27 What’s on? 31 Contacts facilities we are currently building, including the Battle of Complete more than COVER PHOTO: OVER-65S ENJOY A GENTLE EXERCISE CLASS AT OAK FARM LIBRARY. Britain Bunker Exhibition and Visitor Centre, set to open this spring, a housing development in Hayes for older people 200 tasks online and the extensions at two of our primary schools to offer more places for local children. Find your nearest This year we will commence a new refurbishment park, school or library programme to modernise and further improve all of the Apply for your 10 12 borough’s libraries to continue to meet residents’ needs and HillingdonFirst card we will also provide support for activities and facilities for our uniformed groups, Scouts, Guides and Cadets. Book onto a course We are also supporting local businesses with shop front Pay a bill Save time grants, and a host of public realm improvements to provide Do it online town centres that you can feel proud of. Updates on our Request recycling 14 16 LED lighting upgrade, alley gating scheme and programme of and food waste bags works at our tower blocks also illustrate our commitment to Report anti-social Deadline for advertising in the March/April edition is making improvements and keeping our residents safe. Friday 26 January. behaviour We will continue to put you, our residents first and at the Editorial and advertising enquiries heart of all that we do and I wish you all the best for the Have your say Emma Gilbertson 01895 250828 year ahead. on different topics [email protected] And more! www.hillingdon.gov.uk/hillingdonpeople Join the 140,000+ residents After reading, please already registered and sign up at recycle this magazine www.hillingdon.gov.uk/doitonline Published by London Borough of Hillingdon © 2018 Cllr Ray Puddifoot MBE Hillingdon People, 3S/05 Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW. Design Corporate Communications Printed by Warners Midlands PLC LEADER OF THE COUNCIL Products and services advertised in this magazine are not necessarily endorsed by the council. www.hillingdon.gov.uk For a copy in large print or as an audio version call 01895 250828 2 January/February 2018 January/February 2018 3 news news Countdown spreads Magic tables launched Christmas cheer to support people with The council’s Countdown to characters danced, sang Christmas initiative returned to and performed their way dementia Hillingdon for its second year in across Hillingdon. An innovative Dutch December, offering 24 days of free Cllr Richard Lewis, invention that provides activities, performances and fun for all Cabinet Member for Residents to benefit stimulating light games for the family. Central Services, people with dementia was Boris Johnson, MP for Uxbridge and Culture and Heritage, from new library officially launched at South Ruislip officially started the said: "This year’s Uxbridge Library on Friday Cllr Ray Puddifoot, Countdown to Christmas advent calendar of daily events on refurbishments 24 November as part of the said: “We must do all we has been another great Friday 1 December alongside the success, entertaining The council continues to Central Services, Culture council’s ongoing efforts to can to improve the lives of Mayor of Hillingdon, Cllr Carol adults and children of all invest in the borough’s and Heritage, said: “This make Hillingdon a dementia those living with dementia, Melvin, by switching on the lights of ages. It’s been wonderful to see the library service and will new programme will focus friendly community. as well as seeking out new the 33ft Christmas tree outside the whole community celebrating and commence a new on each of the borough's Uxbridge is the first library ways to help those Civic Centre, Uxbridge. Carols were enjoying Christmas together.” refurbishment programme libraries, making in the UK to get a Tovertafel diagnosed in the future. also sung by local schools as the All events were recorded and you this year for all of improvements to enhance (‘magic table’ in English), “The Tovertafel has been Hillingdon Music Hub band played. can watch videos on www.hillingdon. Hillingdon’s 17 libraries to the look and feel of the which projects animations shown to help people to Throughout the 24 days, festive gov.uk/adventcalendar. modernise and further environment, such as onto table surfaces and relax, reminisce and focus improve these existing introducing new colour allows users to interact with their minds, and it’s easy to facilities to continue to meet schemes, installing new the light by moving their use. For residents who residents’ needs. flooring or carpeting, moving arms and hands. might otherwise have Another golden year Ruislip Manor Library furniture to improve access Transport news The games are designed difficulty interacting with Cycle security success Council-secured funds (pictured) was the first library and creating new work or to provide physical, mental each other, this is a recognised pay for new bus to be rebuilt in the last lounge spaces. The council refurbishment programme and social stimulation for marvellous opportunity to More than 2,900 bicycles Money secured by the has also listened to your and celebrated its 10th people in the mid to later be social, get some exercise were security marked in council as part of a planning feedback, and additional birthday in October. Ten stages of dementia but can and have some fun.” Hillingdon last year, leading agreement has funded a power points will be created years on, the space which is a Four magic tables have to a prestigious award new bus service between to meet your digital also be used by children much-loved hub for the local for the borough’s Safer Uxbridge and Hayes. requirements, so you can and people with learning been installed in Uxbridge, community, is in need of a Transport Team. The new U5 service, which bring your own electronic disabilities, autism and Botwell, Ruislip Manor and decoration refresh and the The group, which is a departs from Hayes and devices to work or study.” early-stage dementia. Northwood Hills libraries council has appointed a partnership between the Harlington Station at 8.33am For more information Six residents from the and are available for designer to draw up plans. council, the Metropolitan on weekdays, was about the borough’s Uxbridge dementia coffee groups and residents libraries visit www. Police and Transport for introduced by Transport for Cllr Richard Lewis, morning group were the supporting someone living Cabinet Member for hillingdon.gov.uk/libraries. London, recently won the London after the council first to test out the new with dementia to use for successfully negotiated a WINNERS Cllr Bianco and Green Spaces Manager, Stuart Hunt with the awards Most Amount of Bikes table during an official free on a regular basis. section 106 agreement with Hillingdon scooped a Cllr Jonathan Bianco, Marked Award at the 2017 demonstration at Uxbridge There is a Friday session at Cycle Crime Conference, Inland Homes Plc, the LED street lighting update prestigious Gold award in Cabinet Member for Library, attended by Boris Uxbridge Library at 11am for having marked and developer of Drayton the 2017 Royal Horticultural Finance, Property and Our ambitious £5.2 million street lighting upgrade Johnson, MP for Uxbridge anyone who would like to registered a total of 2,969 Garden Village.