What are the Opposition Parties Offering in Hounslow?

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Leaders of the Conservatives and Lib Dems set out their agenda

Left: Peter Thompson. Right: Roger Crouch

May 6, 2026

The local elections in Hounslow will have a big impact on how services such as housing, social care, and street cleaning are managed after May 7.

As part of our local election coverage the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has offered every party leader in Hounslow the opportunity to sit down for an interview about their priorities and pledges. Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, the current Labour Leader of the Council was interviewed and the LDRS laid out his party’s priorities and plans if they retain control, in a separate article.

Challenging Cllr Rajawat and the Labour group is Cllr Peter Thompson, leading the Hounslow Conservatives , and Roger Crouch, Chair of Hounslow Liberal Democrats and former Richmond councillor. The Greens and Reform were invited to an interview with the LDRS, however did not respond to the invitation.

Cllr Thompson (Conservatives) said that his main priorities include fixing the basics – focusing on “bread and butter issues” that affect daily life – value for money, and restoring democracy in Hounslow.

He said, “I would say as a Conservative we do strongly believe that money is the residents and we’re sort of stewards of that money. So we want to make sure that it’s all spent well and I think we look across Hounslow and we see you know, despite the bigger picture issues that do affect us, we see areas where the council perhaps is not spending wisely or is adopting ways of delivery that don’t seem to be the best for our residents”

Roger Crouch (Liberal Democrat) outlined reconnecting with residents, reforming local governance, and pragmatic environmentalism as his main priorities. He added, “I think Labour have become rather distant from their residents and have been focusing on both national politics and their internal politics…

“We are champions for our residents and we stay in contact with them not only at election time but between elections trying to resolve the many and varied issues that need fixing.”

Cllr Thompson (Conservative) included a commitment to try and freeze council tax whenever possible, however he admits that due to the current funding formula, that this would be a “big ask” due to an incentive to increase council tax by 4.99 per cent.

He added: “I suppose if [a tax freeze] proves to be impossible, our pledge is that there will be sufficient improvements and what [residents] see around them as they walk out of the door, that means that at least they think it’s been spent wisely and not wasted on vanity projects that don’t really benefit too many people.”

The Liberal Democrat manifesto attacks Labour for increasing council tax, however Mr Crouch admitted that without fairer funding from national government (something he would lobby for), that councils have to increase tax. He added: “There’s also the issue that fixing issues doesn’t necessarily save money.

“Hounslow Council really needs to invest in repairing the many varied problems in Hounslow rather than doing temporary works. So for example, potholes filled in, a week later they’re potholes again.”

Much of the Conservative manifesto is built around proposed savings, including the pledge for a new HMO enforcement team. Cllr Thompson said, “I think the Lampton setup that we have that looks after housing… isn’t working as we were promised.

“And the idea is that when we do find, and I’m sure we will find these savings, you know, we can invest that into things like housing enforcement… We are going to make savings.” Cllr Thompson went on to clarify that savings would not impact frontline services.

It was put to Cllr Thompson that these savings can take years to materialise. He responded, “We say what we’re going to do and if we fail to deliver that’s going to be obvious and transparent… if we invest in these services I think often there are real savings down the line.

“We’re pledging to have a youth zone in Feltham, but actually the model there is one that’s really funded by local businesses and voluntary groups… Ultimately, I suppose if we don’t, then folks will know and hopefully they will vote accordingly.”

On fly-tipping, Cllr Thompson says the council will implement a fair system rather than unfair fines, with penalties aimed at repeat offenders. When asked how this will be distinguished on the ground, and whether first time offenders will get away with it, he said, “I think it depends on the scale…

“If it’s like household carelessness or silliness… they tell you they warn you, I think there is a lower level of fine, it’s not £1,000 for a silly mistake. If you know a builder dumps a lot it’s not saying you send them a warning letter and say, [they did] it again they can get the book thrown at them but it is a bit of common sense that we need.”

The Liberal Democrats have pledged to work with the Metropolitan Police to tackle crime in the borough. When asked how this would lead to change, Mr Crouch said, “Councils do have a role in policing in their local authorities and again even as opposition councillors, you should be lobbying for your local area and lobbying for the Met to provide policing where there’s a high level of crime…

“Obviously, as Liberal Democrats, we will lobby politically for the Mayor of London to be given more funding for more police.”

Mr Crouch was asked whether plans to retrofit council buildings with insulation and solar panels, and a pledge for joined up cycle lanes across the borough had been costed. He admitted that it hasn’t as the party is so small locally, and does not have a single councillor, describing the manifesto as things that would be pushed for by new councillors.

Cllr Thompson told the LDRS that he believes the Conservatives will do better than expected in Hounslow, and he admitted it would be difficult to work with parties such as the Greens or Reform. On whether he will be the next Leader of Hounslow Council, he said, “If it were to be the case, that would be wonderful and exciting. But ultimately, it’s an area of my life that’s out of my control.”

Mr Crouch admitted that it is unlikely that the Lib Dems will take control of Hounslow Council, however he believes there is a good chance that there will be Liberal Democrat councillors in Hounslow after May 7 – measuring a first councillor in 16 years as a success that can build the “foundations for future growth.” He also ruled out working with Reform UK.

Below is a list of pledges for each party broken down into several key areas.

Conservatives

These are some of the key policies and things the Conservatives have pledged in Hounslow. You can read their full manifesto on their website.

Housing

• Introduce a Hounslow Standard for new homes, requiring proper sound insulation, space and a priority on family-sized homes
• Expand and strengthen the HMO enforcement team to crack down on rogue landlords
• Limit excessive concentrations of HMOs in single streets
• Bring back a practical handyman service for older residents in sheltered and social housing to help with minor repairs

Communities

• Increase visible police patrols in town centres and neighbourhoods
• Publish police contacts for each ward
• Hold regular street surgeries
• Prioritise Feltham for a flagship Youth Zone and begin a phased return of qualified youth workers
• Re-establish Area Forums with “real power”, controlling defined neighbourhood budgets so residents can see results

Environment and transport

• Stop the expansion of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs), review all existing schemes, and give residents a formal right to challenge LTNs and 20mph zones
• Introduce free neighbourhood bulky waste drop-off days via community skips to reduce fly-tipping
• Oppose Heathrow expansion

Finance and local economy

• Bring back financial discipline and try to freeze council tax wherever it makes sense
• Fund key services by cutting waste
• Introduce a business-first test for major decisions to assess their impact on footfall and local trade
• Maintain all existing 30-minute free stop-and-shop parking in town centres

Green Party

These are some of the key policies and things the Greens have pledged in Hounslow. You can read their full manifesto on their website.

Housing

• Push for a radical change in the local planning system to prioritise the urgent need for social rent housing instead of just large-scale “affordable” developments that favour big developers
• Fundamentally oppose building on the Green Belt, ensuring development focuses on appropriate sites that do not destroy local green spaces

Communities

• Support community policing that tackles the root causes of crime to deliver safer, greener, and more vibrant neighbourhoods
• Enhance local democracy by ensuring residents have a greater say in council decision-making
• Protect and invest in vital community assets, including youth services and libraries, to support residents’ wellbeing

Environment and transport

• Take immediate local action on the climate emergency, ensuring the council achieves net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and transitions the council’s fleet entirely to electric vehicles
• Strictly oppose the expansion of Heathrow Airport
• Support the implementation of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) where appropriate, alongside massive investments in safer cycling infrastructure and active travel to clean up the borough’s air

Finance and local economy

• Focus heavily on supporting local, independent, and small businesses rather than multinational corporations, while promoting the Living Wage across the borough
• Create new green jobs and commit the council to ethical procurement and investment practices
• Support the transition to a circular economy by increasing recycling rates and reducing waste

Labour

These are some of the key policies and things that Labour have pledged in Hounslow. You can read their full manifesto on their website.

Housing

• Deliver 2,500 genuinely affordable homes for local people and invest £125million over three years to build new council homes
• Invest £150million by 2030 to improve council estates and introduce lifetime tenancies to give local people security
• Introduce an additional licensing scheme for HMOs and enforce against irresponsible landlords

Communities

• Invest £11million into short-stay SEND provision and increase SEND capacity across the borough
• Ensure a 24-hour response is available for noise complaints and antisocial behaviour through a new Enforcement Team
• Deliver a brand new leisure centre to replace the Brentford Fountain Leisure, alongside a new world-class arts centre in Brentford

Environment and transport

• Introduce free bulky waste collection alongside local community skip days to crack down on fly-tippers
• Deliver the West London Orbital railway and campaign to make all Hounslow stations fully step-free
• Invest £1.4 million in a ‘Playground Pledge’ to refurbish existing equipment and bring all playgrounds up to scratch

Finance and local economy

• Set up ring-fenced town centre and neighbourhood parade improvement funds for every local area to improve the look and feel of high streets
• Offer start-up grants for local entrepreneurs and Living Wage Accreditation grants to reward good local employers

Liberal Democrats

These are some of the key policies and things the Liberal Democrats have pledged in Hounslow. You can read  their full manifesto on their website.

Housing

• Require major new developments to include at least 35% affordable housing and prioritise homes for local residents
• Identify long-term empty properties and work with housing associations to bring abandoned homes back into use
• Require developers to invest in local infrastructure such as schools, transport, and green space

Communities

• Campaign for more visible policing by working with the Metropolitan Police to increase neighbourhood policing teams
• Rebuild youth services by investing in youth workers, community youth programmes, and creating safe youth spaces across the borough
• Ensure all council-commissioned care staff receive at least the Living Wage and improve working conditions

Environment and transport

• Move Hounslow towards net zero by introducing a borough carbon budget and retrofitting council buildings with insulation and solar energy
• Implement a dedicated repair program for potholes to make driving and cycling safer, and build joined-up cycle lanes
• Plant thousands of new trees and expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure

Finance and local economy

• Keep tax rises as low as possible, publish clear breakdowns of how council tax is spent, and hold public consultations before any increases
• Safeguard libraries, leisure centres, and community spaces, promoting discounted or free usage for Hounslow residents
• Review council contracts to ensure residents are getting value for money and introduce stronger oversight of outsourced services

Reform UK

Reform UK has not published a manifesto for Hounslow. However the Chairman of Hounslow Reform, Prabhdeep Singh, says he will fight for lower taxes, safer streets, better public services, and real political accountability. He is also against ULEZ.

Hounslow Reform says it will prioritise the perspective of local residents by encouraging dialogue and active involvement in decision-making. The party says it is also committed to implementing effective measures to enhance safety in neighbourhoods.

Philip James Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter

Election Information

Details of the candidates standing in each ward are available on the Hounslow Council web site..

The elections will take place on Thursday 7 May. 

Polling stations will open from 7am until 10pm and friendly polling station staff will be on hand throughout the day to support voters with any accessibility needs. 

Those voting in person, must remember to bring photo ID to vote. A full list of Accepted photo ID is listed on the Electoral Commission website.   

Poll cards are not needed to vote, but they show the voter’s polling station address. This is useful as some polling stations have changed since the last election. Voters can check their polling station location, on the Hounslow Council website by entering their postcode.  

Presenting a polling card can also help to make the voting process quicker and reduce waiting times.  

Postal voters in Hounslow who want to hand deliver their completed postal votes can do so at the main reception in Hounslow House, TW3 3EB, or at a polling station in their ward, before 10pm on Thursday, 7 May.   

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