Time for Change in Hounslow – The Labour Council is Failing Our Communities
Chiswick Riverside councillor Peter Thompson reports back
Cllr Peter Thompson
February 15, 2025
As Hounslow Council prepares to present its budget for the coming year, residents across the borough – and particularly here in Chiswick – are bracing for more bad news. Once again, this Labour-run administration is set to pile on more financial pressures while delivering less for our communities. At a time when residents are struggling with the cost of living, the council’s failure to properly manage its finances will hit hard.
Labour’s budget proposals reflect a council that has completely lost touch with local priorities. We already know that the council has squandered millions on vanity projects, failed to support our high streets effectively, and continues to neglect essential services. Now, in a bid to fill the financial black hole of their own making, they are set to push through further cuts and inefficiencies that will disproportionately harm residents.
Cabinet Assistant Roles – A Waste of Taxpayers’ Money
A prime example of Labour’s financial mismanagement is the recently exposed wasteful spending on cabinet assistant roles. Created by Hounslow’s Labour administration in 2021, these positions appoint five councillors to act as deputies to cabinet members, with each receiving an additional £9,636 per year on top of their standard councillor allowance. In total, this costs taxpayers £48,180 annually in extra payments to councillors.
Despite these allowances, a Freedom of Information request has revealed that these roles are providing little to no value. Of the five cabinet assistants currently serving – all Labour councillors – two, Cllr Amy Croft (Cabinet Assistant for Health and Adult Social Care) and Cllr Farhan Rehman (Cabinet Assistant for Communities and Equalities), have exchanged just one email each with their respective cabinet members regarding their roles since taking office in May 2024. Worse still, a third, Cllr Hina Mir (Cabinet Assistant for Infrastructure, Recycling and Transformation), has failed to send any email correspondence at all.
Even more concerning, when asked about in-person meetings between cabinet assistants and cabinet members, the council admitted that no records of any such meetings exist. This raises serious questions about what exactly these roles entail and why taxpayers are being forced to foot the bill for what appears to be little more than an unnecessary political perk for Labour councillors.
Companies owned by the council
Another glaring example of Hounslow Labour’s mismanagement is the Lampton Group, the council-owned company that was set up with promises of delivering efficiency and generating income for the borough. Instead, it has become a financial black hole. The group, which oversees services such as waste collection, housing development, and facilities management, has consistently underperformed, failing to deliver on its targets while draining public funds.
The Council’s commercial arm has struggled since its inception, reporting £13.4m in losses this year, yet it still receives substantial investment without a clear plan for profitability. The Conservative Group has consistently and continually called for the council to end this bad deal and bring services in house until a viable alternative can be found. Yet the Labour administration continues to back Lampton even though the 2025/26 business plan has not been finalised, but further Transformation Fund requests are expected through additional working capital lending . Lampton Group was expected to generate profits by 2024/25, but no profits have been recorded and none are expected still.
Petition for change
One of the most absurd proposals we’ve seen is the plan to dim streetlights across the borough under the guise of “energy savings.” We all want to be responsible with energy usage, but this reckless cost-cutting measure puts safety at risk. Fewer streetlights mean darker streets, which means increased danger – particularly for women, the elderly, and those walking home late at night. Chiswick residents deserve better than to be left in the dark, quite literally, by an administration that refuses to prioritise their safety.
That’s why we’ve launched a petition calling on the council to rethink this dangerous policy. If you agree that Hounslow Labour should not be jeopardising our safety, please sign and share our petition on Change.org . We need to show them that residents will not stand by while public safety is put at risk.
Brentford & Syon By-Elections – A Chance to Send Labour a Message
It is clear that this administration is failing our borough, and Labour-run Hounslow is in desperate need of change. The upcoming by-elections in Brentford East and Syon are a golden opportunity for residents to send a strong message: enough is enough.
Labour has let Brentford down. Their failure to deliver for residents is particularly evident in the mismanagement of the Watermans Arts Centre. Instead of supporting and investing in the community’s cultural heritage, Labour has left Brentford in limbo.
Additionally, Brentford’s high street has suffered years of neglect. Businesses have closed, and the area is falling behind neighbouring boroughs that have successfully revitalised their town centres. While the council boasts of investment in new developments, many of these projects fail to support the existing community or address the urgent need for improvements in public services and infrastructure.
These by-elections are about more than just two seats – they are a referendum on Labour’s failures across the borough. From wasted money to failing infrastructure, from dimmed streetlights to neglected local services, we need councillors who will fight for real change and challenge the complacency of this administration.
Some good news this week
On a more positive note, this week, Chiswick School is celebrating outstanding A-level results, as recently released Department for Education data highlights the exceptional progress made by its students. This achievement underscores the school's commitment to academic excellence and the dedication of both staff and pupils. As a teacher and local champion, I congratulate staff and students at Chiswick School for this outstanding achievement.
Across the other side of the borough, every Tuesday morning, fathers and their young children gather at Feltham Family Hub for 'Dad's Play', a free stay-and-play group for children under four. This initiative fosters community bonding and provides a supportive environment for male carers to engage with their children. Participants appreciate the opportunity to connect with other fathers, share experiences, and discuss various topics, including parenting challenges and local resources. I think this is a fantastic initiative supported by the council and highlights an often-forgotten parent, fathers. If you are a father with young children, check it out here .
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2025
Council Meetings - Borough Council
- Tuesday 25 February - Budget Setting Meeting
- Tuesday25 March - Final Meeting of Council Year
There is public access for these meetings via a direct lift from the ground floor to the Council Meeting Room
6th Floor, Hounslow House, 7 Bath Road, Hounslow TW3 3EB
Council Meetings – Overview and Scrutiny Committee
6th Floor, Hounslow House, 7 Bath Road, Hounslow TW3 3EB
Council Meetings – Planning
Thursday, 13 February: Planning committee
Important Current Local Issues During weekends, residents can still access council services on-line or via emergency numbers:
To inform the council of an emergency, please call 020 8583 2222
CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR SURGERIES
Chiswick: Every Saturday from 9.30am to 10.30am at Chiswick Library (the eight Conservative councillors take this surgery in turn).
Gunnersbury: First Saturday of the month from 10am to 11am at The Gunnersbury Triangle Club, Triangle Way, off The Ridgeway, W3 8LU (at least one of the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward councillors takes this surgery).
CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLORS and CONTACTS
Chiswick Gunnersbury ward
Cllr Joanna Biddolph joanna.biddolph@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 703446
Cllr Ranjit Gill ranjit.gill@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702956
Cllr Ron Mushiso ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702887
Chiswick Homefields ward
Cllr Jack Emsley jack.emsley@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 396017
Cllr Gerald McGregor gerald.mcgregor@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784821
Cllr John Todd john.todd@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784651
Chiswick Riverside ward
Cllr Gabriella Giles gabriella.giles@hounslow.gov.uk 07966 270823
Cllr Peter Thompson peter.thompson@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 395810
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