Council reviews use of local hotels

A High Court ruling on Tuesday 19 August against the use of the Bell Hotel in Epping (pictured) for the housing of asylum-seekers could have implications for Hillingdon. The Leader of the Council, Councillor Ian Edwards has called for legal advice before deciding whether to take the same action against the hotels in the south of the Borough which are being used for the same purpose. A report in MyWestLondon News is here.

The case was brought by Epping Forest District Council on the grounds that changing it from a hotel for visitors to a place in which people are living requires planning permission. Extensive media reporting shows that this is a very emotive issue in many places besides Epping where demonstrators are demanding the removal of asylum-seekers but the judge made it clear that his ruling was based on planning grounds. He gave an interim judgement pending a full hearing but the Government has already lodged an appeal. It says it wants to end the use of hotels but that this will take time if it is to be managed effectively.

Previous legal cases have been brought by other Councils to get hotels in their areas closed down but they have generally failed because the pressing need for accommodation was deemed by the courts to outweigh the planning aspect. The Epping judgement has raised the expectations of protesters that more hotels will be closed but the legal issues are not quite as simple as might first appear. A web site on local government law discusses the issues and you can see it here.

Meanwhile, both the tensions in some communities and the stressful situation facing asylum-seekers are continuing as a result of regular media reports of impending protests at various locations around the country. It is not definite that there will be protests in Hillingdon but in the interests of maintaining law and order while upholding the right to peaceful protest the Police are keen to receive early information from members of the public who become aware of anything they hear is being planned locally. You can send a report to the Police by using this link or alternatively please send me an email.

Private rents unaffordable for many

On Monday 18 August the Office for National Statistics published its latest review of the level of private rents. This showed that renting in Hillingdon and the other 31 London Boroughs exceeds what they define as affordable.

It is reckoned that 30% of income spent on rent is acceptable but the average for London in 41.6%. The target figure has been exceeded by London Boroughs in eight of the last nine years.

A number of commentators have observed that if hotels cease to be occupied by asylum-seekers because of the Epping case this could increase the demand on the private rented sector and push up rents even further.

"Family Lives" - here to help

Family Lives is a charity with lots of expertise and heart that has a great track record in helping parents and children cope with all the challenges of everyday living. They had a stall at the very successful Hayes Community Action Day on knife crime awareness on Friday 15 August and the picture shows senior workers Maeve Darroux and Ann-Marie Fevrier.

Their website shows the numerous ways in which they help and to see a summary of their services click here.

Volunteers are at the centre of what they do and they are always on the lookout for new Parent Carer Champions who find great benefit for themselves as well as from helping others. Use this link to find out more.

Call free on 0808 800 2222 for emotional support, information, advice and guidance on any aspect of parenting and family life. 

Don't forget the Family Fun Day

Talking of families, this is a reminder that the Family Fun Day at Hayes & Harlington Community Centre will be on Sunday 31 August from 2pm and all are welcome to attend. There will be a BBQ, a bouncy castle, face painting, displays, stalls and games.

For those who have not been before, the Community Centre is at the junction of Station Road and North Hyde Road. The pedestrian entrance is in Albert Road with the vehicle entrance being in Keith Road.

Time to get running?

It's all happening at the Hayes & Harlington Community Centre and on Wednesday 3 September the Hayes & Harlington Road Runners Club will be starting their latest eight week training course sponsored by Hillingdon Council. It is for complete beginners so people who have never run before are very welcome to come along.

The course is called C25K (Couch to 5K) and is designed to help beginners build endurance and confidence through a gradual, easy-to-follow approach. In just 8 weeks, they will be running 5 kilometres – all while having fun and feeling stronger every day.

What’s Included:

• Weekly workout plans: Structured sessions to help you progress safely
• Expert coaching & support: The team will guide you every step of the way
• Motivation and community: Join a supportive group of fellow runners

Whether you want to lose weight, improve your health, or simply enjoy running the programme is designed for all fitness levels. Plus, it’s completely free.

There are two sessions a week but you can miss one if not convenient

• Wednesdays 6 30pm to 7 30pm from the Community Centre
• Saturdays 9 45am to 10 45am at Stockley Park

Use this link to find out more and to sign up in advance send an email or you can turn up on the day but please come 15 minutes early to allow time to register

Expect a call on Sunday 7 September

The Government is planning to test the Emergency Alerts system on Sunday 7 September at 3pm by sending messages to all 87 million mobile phones in the UK.

The system is intended to warn if there is a danger to life nearby and it has already been used to warn people of impending floods and strong gales. It also alerted residents to an unexploded second world war bomb in Plymouth.

During the test, mobile phones will vibrate and make a loud siren sound for roughly ten seconds, even if they are set to silent. A message will also appear on phone screens, making it clear the alert is only a test. For more information click here.

You need to register to vote every year

Some residents assume that because they pay Council Tax or use a Council service the Council knows about them and they will automatically get a vote. Nothing could be further from the truth. The electoral register is a totally separate record of who is entitled to vote and it is updated every year.

The Electoral Services Team is in the process of contacting every residence in the Borough so that it can compile the register that will be used for the full Council elections in May 2026. Anybody who does not respond could end up without a vote.

You can have your name added to the register in the run-up to an election but it is best to do it now in case you leave it too late. Please make sure to reply to what has been received from the Council or use this link. Not everyone is eligible to vote and if you are not sure you can check here.

Who spotted the change?

Hands up if you spotted that WH Smith's has become TG Jones. This is the new name of newsagents, stationer and bookseller that was sold off in June 2025 to Modella Capital which also owns Hobbycraft and The Original Factory Shop.

Smith's decided that their high street stores were losing money and they put them on the market but kept those at airports and stations. The name "TGJones" is not derived from an individual, but was invented by Modella to sound similar to "WHSmith" (named after William Henry Smith) and so continue the implication of being a family business.

West London Business Awards help

Winning a West London Business Award is a real honour and a great boost for a local business. Entries for the 2026 awards are now open but this year there is help available for anybody who has never made an application before. On Monday 15 September between 1pm and 2pm there will be an online briefing session to explain the process and provide tips on what makes a good application. Click here to register.

You can also make a pre-application if you have an idea of what to include but you need some advice or if you are not sure whether you are applying in the right category. To find out more use this link.

The deadline for completed applications is Friday 17 October. The picture shows the happy winners for 2025.

Parking on cycle lane getting worse

The number of vehicles parking on the Town Centre cycle lanes seems to be increasing, especially at the southern end of Coldharbour Lane as shown in the picture. I asked Councillor Janet Gardner if she thought that the Council might put in some more posts but the reply she got was as folows:

“We can only suggest that by contacting our parking contractor APCOA at the time a vehicle is seen parking in contravention, they can send Civil Enforcement Officers to the location and carry out appropriate enforcement as soon as possible. They can be contacted on (Mon- Sat 6 am-10 pm, Sun 10 am-10 pm) on 01895 271 418” 

Battle of Britain bunker - a must visit

I have recently attended two events at the Battle of Britain bunker in Uxbridge and it turned out that none of those present from Hayes had visited previously. The Battle of Britain was a crucial turning point in the Second World War and the bunker was the control centre for the heroic acts by the pilots of the Royal Air Force. As well as descending into the historic bunker (as pictured) there is an excellent exhibition at the surface.

Entry costs £7.50 or £6.00 for those aged 65 and over but there is a 50% discount for holders of Hillingdon First cards. Under 16s get free entrance

Use this link to find out more and to book tickets.