News from your council March/April 2018 New leisure facilities Budget approved Council tax frozen for 10th year Heathrow expansion Have your say New visitor attraction Easter opening for Bunker exhibition centre APPLY NOW NEW SCHOOL 2018 EVENTS advertisements people Refuse and Recycling Easter 2018 Contents Normal collection day Revised collection day March/April 2018 Monday 26 March Monday 26 March ▸ Cover stories Tuesday 27 March Tuesday 27 March ▸ 13 Council tax frozen for 10th year n February, Hillingdon Council, like all local authorities Wednesday 28 March Commencing Tuesday Budget for 2018/19 confirmed. across the country, set its budget for 2018/19. While 27 and concluding on many councils were raising council tax and fees ▸ 14 Battle of Britain Exhibition and Visitor I Wednesday 28 March Centre Easter opening and charges, reducing services or closing facilities, in Visitor information for this exciting new attraction. Hillingdon council tax was once again frozen for a 10th Thursday 29 March Commencing year for all residents and 12 years for the over-65s. ▸ 16 Have your say on how Heathrow expansion As you will read on page 13, in terms of fees and charges, Wednesday 28 and could affect you concluding Thursday There’s still time to respond to Heathrow Airport’s parking charges will remain frozen and the council has consultation. continued its policy of benchmarking its fees and charges 29 March against those of neighbouring authorities and other Friday 30 March Thursday 29 March ▸ 18 Investing in new leisure facilities service providers, with charges being set at a maximum Council provides a variety of new and refurbished (Good Friday) of 90 per cent of what those authorities are charging. playgrounds, outdoor gyms and skate parks. We also committed to maintaining frontline services Monday 2 April Tuesday 3 April 20 Big events planned for 2018 and improving or delivering new facilities, and as you (Easter Monday) Preview of this year’s events for residents of all ages. can read in this edition of Hillingdon People, we are providing a wide range of these across the borough. Tuesday 3 April Wednesday 4 April 23 Secondary school expansion programme Our new £6 million Battle of Britain Bunker Visitor Extension plans for Vyners and Ruislip High Schools. Wednesday 4 April Thursday 5 April and Exhibition Centre will open to the public at the end 27 Be the one... to support them of this month and offer an interactive and informative Thursday 5 April Friday 6 April Hillingdon foster carers share their experience of experience. I would encourage residents to go along and looking after newborn babies. see the displays and also go down to the bunker itself. Friday 6 April Saturday 7 April Regulars We are continuing to invest in our school building and expansion programme to create more places at the Early May Bank Holiday 2018 4 Hillingdon News 29 Volunteers borough’s schools, with work underway at Warrender 31 What’s on? 35 Contacts Primary School, Hillside Infant and Junior Schools Normal collection day Revised collection day COVER PHOTO: LOCAL CHILDREN ENJOYING THE NEW PLAY EQUIPMENT and Vyners School, and work planned for Ruislip Monday 7 May Tuesday 8 May AT ABBOTTS CLOSE PLAYGROUND. High School. The new Oak Wood School (formerly Abbotsfield) was also officially opened last month. Tuesday 8 May Wednesday 9 May Our ongoing resurfacing programme is maintaining Wednesday 9 May Thursday 10 May the borough’s roads and footpaths, with £10 million invested to ensure that transport is able Thursday 10 May Friday 11 May to keep moving and residents are safe. As you will be able to read on page 18, the council 14 18 Friday 11 May Saturday 12 May is investing in improving and building a range of leisure facilities, including skate parks, outdoor gyms Please leave your rubbish out for collection and playgrounds. We are also offering a varied events by 6am. programme for 2018, including some new additions. Protecting the local environment also remains a Please leave your rubbish near your front gate, priority and weekly free recycling and waste collections but not on the pavement. 20 25 continue, with improvements being made to these and our free bulky waste collection service is being made Separate arrangements are in place for flats Advertising deadline for next edition: Wednesday 29 March. available to all residents. A new waste and recycling and business premises. Editorial and advertising enquiries centre is also planned for the south of the borough. Emma Gilbertson 01895 250828 If you have any queries, or would like to report a Whilst it is clear that there are still challenges ahead for [email protected] local authorities, in Hillingdon our ability to deliver sound missed collection, visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/ www.hillingdon.gov.uk/hillingdonpeople financial management and good business practice means recycling or call 01895 556000. After reading, please that we are able to continue to put our residents first and recycle this magazine deliver the services that they tell us are important to them. Published by London Borough of Hillingdon © 2018 Hillingdon People, 3S/05 Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW. Design Corporate Communications Printed by Warners Midlands PLC Products and services advertised in this magazine are not necessarily endorsed by the council. Cllr Ray Puddifoot MBE www.hillingdon.gov.uk/recycling For a copy in large print or as an audio version call 01895 250828 LEADER OF THE COUNCIL 2 March/April 2018 March/April 2018 3 news news Advertising vans cause Use your vote - don't miss out! Oak Wood School opened nuisance by parking illegally The election of Leader of the Council, Cllr training centre on-site. councillors for Ray Puddifoot and Boris The school expansion The council has warned Hillingdon will take Johnson, MP for Uxbridge was funded by the council that it will continue to take place on Thursday and South Ruislip officially and the government’s necessary enforcement 3 May 2018 and opened Oak Wood School Priority Schools measures against advertising you must be on the on Friday 2 February. Programme fund. vehicles being parked electoral register to The school, formerly Cllr Puddifoot, illegally and dangerously be able to vote and Abbotsfield School, has a former pupil of in Hillingdon. have your voice heard. been completely rebuilt and Abbotsfield School, said: The council seized two Every elector is expanded to provide 1,350 “It was clear some years vehicles on Thursday responsible for their secondary school places. ago that the Abbotsfield 7 December 2017 that own registration The new building includes School building was in had been repeatedly and the deadline state-of-the-art classrooms, need of replacement, and parking illegally. for making sure you modern learning spaces and as Leader of the Council The first van (pictured), fines also remain unpaid, are on the register ICT suites, a large library, I was able to be part of Get growing for our annual advertising Murphys leaving an outstanding total is Tuesday 17 April. If you are unsure if you’re on it, purpose built drama and the team that ensured horticultural competitions Contractors Ltd, of £770 plus mounting or you’ve recently moved into Hillingdon or have just music areas, a four court that sufficient funding accumulated 19 parking fines debt collection fees. turned 18, visit www.gov.uk/register-to-vote to register sports hall, dance studio was made available to Whether you’re a novice in the Ruislip area between Both vehicles will only online. Alternatively, call 01895 250251 for assistance. and external sports courts. completely rebuild the or a keen gardener, our 13 May and 7 December be returned to the owners On 3 May, you can vote in person at a polling station There is new furniture and school to a high standard. Hillingdon in Bloom 2017, which remain unpaid, with proof of ownership between 7am and 10pm. You can also register to vote by IT equipment throughout. “This investment will in and Autumn Show leaving an outstanding total and after payment of post and the deadline for this is Wednesday 18 April. The The co-educational part repay the debt that I competitions will return of life. Care should be of £5,257 plus increasing their fines. If this is not ballot papers will be sent out from Thursday 19 April and school will offer specialist and generations of local boys once again this year for taken though to ensure debt collection fees. Parking done, the council will you have until 10pm on the day of the election to return provision for pupils with owed to Abbotsfield School, you to take part in. no damage is caused offences included parking take appropriate steps to it to us. If you would like someone to vote on your behalf, special educational needs but more importantly ensure Residents, businesses, to the tree and that the without a ticket in pay and dispose of the vehicles. you have until 5pm on 25 April to apply to vote by proxy. and disabilities, and the that many future generations schools and community planting does not encroach display bays, parking on Leader of the Council, Your elected councillors play a crucial role. They have council has also invested of local boys and girls can groups will be able to onto the footpath. a yellow line, parking on Cllr Ray Puddifoot, said: regular contact with constituents, representing you at a local an additional £2.5 million benefit from the Oak Wood apply to participate in Judging for the a grass verge, parking on “The council is responsible level and deciding how the council carries out its various to provide a vocational experience in years to come.” Hillingdon in Bloom from Hillingdon in Bloom a footway and parking for keeping roads and activities.