Council achievements

Another key priority is creating a greener future by making the council’s operations carbon neutral, protecting our heritage, built environment and green spaces, and maintaining pleasant neighbourhoods with access to sustainable travel and waste management.

Take a look at our achievements in creating a green and sustainable borough.

Carbon efficiencies and enhancing the environment

• The council completed a grant funded decarbonisation programme at some of the council’s most inefficient buildings, including Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex, Winston Churchill Theatre and Highgrove Pool and Fitness Centre.  
• The council adopted a new 5-year Air Quality Action Plan and a revised Strategic Climate Action Plan following public consultations.
• 3,742 trees were planted, including more than 3,500 in Sipson Recreation Ground and Sipson Meadow in partnership with Trees for Cities.
• A community planting day in Spider Park marked the completion of a project to enhance biodiversity and protect local homes from flooding.
• More than 1,000 snowdrop bulbs were planted with the help of volunteers in Queens Walk Open Space and Elephant Park.
• Improvements were carried at 5 of the borough’s open spaces as part of the council’s park enhancement programme, including improvements to the pond at Willow Tree Open Space and the Japanese Peace Garden in Pole Hill Open Space, removing invasive species and improving biodiversity.
• The council paid tribute to late Hillingdon East councillor Pat Jackson by naming a footpath in Knights Gardens in her memory.

Sustainable travel

• The council joined a partnership with 5 London boroughs to collaboratively procure new on-street electric vehicle charging points.
• Highways improvements took place along 6 school routes in Hayes and Uxbridge to enhance pupils’ safety and accessibility, with 3 more tabled for completion by April.
• The second phase of a project to make North Hyde Road greener and increase sustainable travel was completed with a new 300-metre section of road, upgraded shared use footway for easier cycling and walking, and 10 new trees.
• The council invested in new technology to make road repairs faster and more efficiently and was 1 of only 2 London councils to receive the highest rating from government for road maintenance.
• 48 ‘Bikeability’ training Level 1 and 2 courses were delivered to 996 Year 6 pupils and 58 adult cycling sessions were held. 18 free ‘Dr Bike’ repair sessions were also delivered.

Heritage

• Following public consultations, the council protected The Orchard pub and North Hayes Telephone Exchange by including them in the borough’s local list of buildings of architectural and historical importance.
• Essential repairs were made to protect and restore the Grade II listed Hillingdon and Uxbridge Cemetery Gatehouse.
• The council launched its new Hillingdon Heritage Membership scheme that gives residents and visitors the opportunity to explore the borough's history through exclusive benefits and immersive experiences at some of its historic sites.

Waste and recycling

• A new Pop-Up Waste Drop Service was introduced making it easier for residents to dispose of unwanted and bulky items for free in their local area.
• Food waste collections were rolled out to private housing blocks, and food waste and dry mixed recycling collections to flats above shops in line with the government’s ‘Simpler Recycling’ legislation.
• The council ran a cable challenge, with 36 of the borough’s primary schools recycling more than 802kg (0.8 tonnes) of unwanted cables.
• 7 new and more sustainable street sweeping machines which were named by residents were introduced.
• The council engaged with 3,300 residents by holding 2 repair and reuse days, including 1 with a ‘make do and mend’ theme at the Battle of Britain Bunker, and 10 recycling roadshows.