The Budget Consultation is open until Wednesday.
Unlike the Council’s own introduction to the budget consultation, where they didn’t even include a link to the budget itself, or any suggestion that there was anything to see, we encourage you to read it. Flick through and see what you can find. Let us know if you see anything interesting, but make sure that you tell the council. Make sure you take part in the consultation. The first 75 people to respond did so without having any idea what was in it!
Read the Cabinet Budget Proposals 2026/2027 as published on 23rd December 2025
Things to consider when completing the Budget Consultation
- The £1400 Debt Burden
The budget relies on a £150m “bailout” loan (Exceptional Financial Support).
Has the Council made it clear to residents that this equates to more than £1400 of new debt for every Band D household, to be repaid via Council Tax over the next 20 years? - Borrowing for “Today,” not “Tomorrow”
Usually, councils borrow money to build assets (like leisure centres or schools). This £150m is being borrowed essentially to pay day-to-day bills.
Should residents pay interest for 20 years on money spent today solely because the Council failed to balance its books?
- The £1bn Debt Mountain
With this new borrowing, Hillingdon is approaching a total debt level of £1 billion.
Is the Council going to become financially unsustainable? - Vanishing Reserves
Should the Cabinet or the Audit Committee have noticed that the Council’s cash reserves have been drawn down and effectively spent completely over the last four years.
Why were reserves used to plug gaps until they ran out, rather than fixing the systemic issues sooner? - Priorities
If the Council is in such trouble that it needs a government bailout and must cut services, why is it still spending tax money producing and distributing Hillingdon People magazine-which often serves as a PR vehicle to every household, and as recently as this summer, spending money on fancy new gates for Ruislip Lido?
What now?
You can read the Budget Proposals for yourself, and have your say by completing the very short form on the council’s website before Wednesday 4th Feb.
Please tell your friends, family, neighbours, colleagues and anyone who will listen about these pages, the details in them, and what you think about them.
Post to Facebook, to Nextdoor, contact your councillors, and pay more attention to what the Hillingdon People magazine tells you… and what it might not. The Audit Committee meeting and the Budget Setting full Council meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube.
If you live in Ruislip or Ruislip Manor, look out for the Town Crier magazine coming through your door at the end of this month, attend our public meeting on 26th March and join our email mailing list. If you don’t live in Ruislip, join your own Residents’ Association: there are RAs all over the Borough.
Read more of our February 2026 series
- Introduction: Mistakes, misjudgements, or systemic breakdown?
- 1. The £150m Bailout: “Accounting Adjustments” vs Reality
- 2. The Culture of “Late”: From Accounts to Budgets
- 3. The “Theo’s Café” Scandal: Claims of cronyism and confirmed secrecy
- 4. The Silent Treatment: 12 Weeks and Counting
- 5. Putting Residents First? Not always
- 6. An addiction to “Special Urgency” – for secrecy or last minute work?
- 7. The secret £3.3m planning system
- 8. Decision-Making Based on Flawed Data
- 9. Are they taking heed of the “Section 24” warnings?
- Summary: The Case for Concern – is something broken at our Civic Centre?
- What Now? What do you think? You have until Wednesday to tell the Council
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