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.

Carbon efficiencies and enhancing the environment

• The council secured one of the largest government grants in London, more than £13 million, for our buildings' decarbonisation project, which will substantially reduce carbon emissions at our largest properties. Council homes are also being made more efficient through this programme, with 61 homes completed so far.
• We invested more than £3.3 million to replace the roofs of 5 schools.
• Residents, businesses and community groups were invited to share their views on the review of the council's Strategic Climate Action Plan.
• We secured the top spot for the number of Green Flag spaces maintained by a UK authority for the 12th year running.
• As part of our £1 million park enhancement programme, improvements are underway at Barra Hall Park (Hayes), Bessingby Park, (Ruislip Manor), Churchfields Gardens (Ruislip), The Closes (West Drayto) and Fassnidge Park (Uxbridge).
• More than 300 trees have been sponsored through the Trees for Streets programme, in addition to the 8,378 we have planted.
• We made a range of improvements to leisure facilities and green spaces with £1.3 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Sustainable travel

• We published our Cycling Strategy.
• More than 1,000 residents took part in our free cycle training, with 15,000 pupils receiving pedestrian training for safer school commutes and more than 630 completing scooter training.
• £40,000 Active Travel funding was spent on towpath improvements to the Grand Union Canal.
• 46 new electric vehicle chargers were installed in our car parks.
• Nearly £12 million was invested into highways, roads and pavements.
• Works were completed on a first phase of improvements to North Hyde Road to help reduce congestion and improve walking and cycling links from residential areas to Cranford Park and Hayes and Harlington Station.

Heritage

• We commemorated the 80th anniversary of D-Day with events at the Battle of Britain Bunker. The site's Generator House also opened to the public and the replica Spitfire was repaired.
• A new audio trail was launched at Cranford Park.

Waste and recycling

• More than 7,000 new households signed up to our food waste recycling service and 9,000 for our improved automatic recycling bag delivery service. Our small electrical recycling bins contributed to a 40% increase in tonnage collected in comparison to last year.
• A campaign was launched to encourage residents to reduce contamination and further improve recycling rates.