All our local schools are at the heart of the community and every one of them feels it is important to engage with its local residents. To help bring this about Bishop Winnington-Ingram CofE Primary School has recently launched its new " Stay and Play" session. This is a Baby and Toddler Group group suitable for children up to four years of age…

In July, Hillingdon's Director of Community Safety & Enforcement, Richard Webb, told the Residents' Services Select Committee that Pay & Display machines were under review and that proposals would need to be developed. Those proposals have now been published. A report dated 22 September 2026 to the Cabinet Member for Residents' Services, Cllr Wayne Bridges, asks him to approve a public consultation on five…

Sign up, for free, on Eventbrite to hear from three of Brunel University's leading academics, on the topics of: Professor Akram Khan: Connecting Universities and Communities, Professor Trevor Hoey: Local Action to Combat Climate Change, and Professor Geoff Rodgers on the 60th anniversary of Brunel University London. Venue: Ruislip Manor library, Linden Avenue, Ruislip Manor, from 5.00pm on Tuesday 29th September, Tuesday 6th October, Tuesday 27th October. Duration: each event, 90 minutes. Link to the Eventbrite sign up page.

Ruislip Lido has had a difficult few weeks. First an oxygen crash killed a significant number of fish. Then, while the Council and the Environment Agency worked to put that right, one of the emergency pumps caught fire, and a Council officer was taken to hospital. Since then, the information coming from Hillingdon Council has gone from detailed to almost nothing, right at the point the questions became harder to answer.

A new potential proposal has appeared on the council website for land at Joel Street Farm, Northwood Hills - around 10.8 hectares of horse-grazing fields off Joel Street, close to Northwood Hills Underground station. This site sits within Northwood Hills, not Ruislip, so it's the Northwood Hills Residents' Association, and likely the neighbouring Northwood Residents Association and  Eastcote Residents' Association…

Residents of Broadwood Avenue and Park Avenue experienced flooding on the 23rd of June 2016, when a third cloudburst in a couple of days fell on Ruislip. It is estimated that some 45mm of rain fell in around 45 minutes onto already saturated ground, causing the Pinn to overflow its banks. There was widespread flooding along the Ruislip Pinn, to include Brook Drive and Evelyn Avenue.

Long-standing craft workers at the Manor Farm heritage site are facing the threat of closure following demands from Hillingdon Council for rent increases of almost 100%. Local artisans warn that applying a borough-wide, commercial approach to these specialized units could force them out, undermining the principles of the site's Heritage grant and destroying its cultural value to the community. Gifted to the community and rebuilt with £2m of public funds:

Long-standing craft workers at the Manor Farm heritage site are facing the threat of closure following demands from Hillingdon Council for rent increases of almost 100%. Local artisans warn that applying a borough-wide, commercial approach to these specialized units could force them out, undermining the principles of the site's Heritage grant and destroying its cultural value to the community. Gifted to the community and rebuilt with £2m of public funds:

Saturday the 19th of September, between 11am and 3pm, will see both St Margaret's Church, Uxbridge Town Centre, outside The Pavillions full of the Hillingdon Friends of the Earth Cleaner Greener Festival, with a bonus film showing at the Quaker Meeting Room further up Belmont Road. Find out how to save money on your heating bills. Hoping to get fitter?

More than sixteen months after residents were promised rapid work on the “obvious risks” at Ruislip Lido, Hillingdon Council has finally published its new Operational Safety Plan. It contains some welcome improvements to emergency access, traffic management and incident reporting – but the document says that the specialist water safety plan is still to be produced, while the hours of evening enforcement remain unclear and the latest specific water-body risk assessment still dates from 2021.

Welcome to the brand new 'Audiobook Town Crier' from the Ruislip Residents' Association! How the Idea Was Born The idea started with a simple chat down at the allotments. A neighbour mentioned he missed reading the magazine because his eyesight was no longer up to it – and we quickly realised he wouldn't be the only one. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best.

On 18 August, the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed that Hillingdon Council's Deputy Leader, Cllr Richard Mills, had spent months posting on Facebook under the name "DelightfulYuzu2877" - commenting on Council business and the conduct of residents as though he were an ordinary member of the public, while concealing that he was one of the people making the decisions being discussed.

The planning application for new housing at St Martin's Approach car park cannot be decided until an archaeological dig has taken place on site - and that dig hasn't started yet. The Greater London Archaeology Advisory Service (GLAAS), which advises the council on heritage matters, has made this a required step before any decision can be made, and because the trenches will sit within the working car park, residents should expect some parking spaces to be temporarily out of use once digging begins.

As the summer heat continues and the Affinity Water hosepipe ban takes effect across Ruislip, residents are making daily sacrifices to protect our local water supply. From letting our lawns turn brown to watering our gardens and allotments by hand, our community is stepping up. We are very pleased to report that Hillingdon Council is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with residents in this effort, taking proactive and responsible action at Ruislip Lido.

Hillingdon Council warns that the Mayor's Draft London Plan will "force" 24,030 new homes onto the borough over 10 years, with 61% on Green Belt land - the highest share of any London borough.  Both figures are accurate.  But the council's own explanation of how this system works doesn't match the alarm it's raising. Who actually decides where the homes go?

So alarming they renamed it: What the Independent Review really found Tonight, the government finally published its damning independent review into Hillingdon Council's finances. The report, written in May by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), is far blunter than anything on the Council's own news pages — and its findings led directly to the government issuing a formal…

Residents may have noticed a new planning reference appear on the council website for the former Master Brewer site - the derelict hotel and pub plot at the junction of Long Lane and Freezeland Way, close to Hillingdon Underground station. Here's what it means, and what to expect next. What is being proposed? Developer Jaysam Contractors Ltd is preparing to bring forward a major redevelopment of the 3.39-hectare site, which has stood vacant since the old Master Brewer motel and pub were demolished in 2012.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards has launched a public consultation on fireworks and pyrotechnics regulation across the UK, and it's a chance for Ruislip residents to make their views heard. The consultation opened this week and runs through August and September, looking at whether to: Restrict the noisiest fireworks to professional users, with several options on the table for lowering the current 120 decibel limit for consumer fireworks…

Ruslip Residents' Association have been asked to make their residents aware of two Further Education Colleges in Hayes that may be of interest to parents and young people of school leaving age. De Salis Studio College, Hewens Road and Parkside Studio College, Wood End Green Road, have open days that can be booked on the following websites. Unfortunately, we only received their request yesterday (July 13th.) with the dates and the last day to book is this Friday, July 17th.!

On Thursday, July 9th the Year Six pupils presented their traditional end of primary school show. The title, Pirates of the Curry Bean, indicated to the large audience of proud parents that this was a story that they would find amusing as well as entertaining. We learn that their ship is so named because the pirates' favourite meal is (yes, you've guessed it!) curry and beans.

Affinity Water is introducing a hosepipe ban affecting Ruislip and Ruislip Manor, as part of a wider ban across its Central region. The ban is a formal statutory notice under Section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991, and comes into force from 00:01 on Friday 17 July 2026. Why the ban has been introduced Last month was the warmest June on record for England, with temperatures reaching as high as 37.7°C, and hot, dry weather has continued since.

The Future of Pay & Display Machines In January we suspected the £95,000 budgeted saving for "changes to parking payment options" would mean a reduction in the number of physical ticket machines, pointing to the council's phone-only parking trial at the Beck Theatre as a likely blueprint. Hillingdon Council has now confirmed that this is exactly the direction it is heading.

Support transparency and public accountability The Hillingdon Alliance of Residents’ Associations has launched a borough‑wide petition regarding proposed changes to the Council’s Residents’ Petition Scheme. The changes are scheduled to be voted on by all Councillors at the Full Council meeting on Thursday 9 July. The proposals would: Increase local and planning petition thresholds from 20 signatures to 50…

The London Borough of Hillingdon approved the revised planning application Ref: 11894/APP/2026/746 on 2nd July for the conversion of the rear and upper floors behind Tesco Express, 122–124 High Street, Ruislip. The ground-floor Tesco store remains unchanged. What has been approved The scheme allows the developer to: Convert the vacant rear and upper floors into six residential flats (Class C3).

Because many residents have asked if , or think the listed buildings are being demolished (they are not), it is worth briefly summarising the views of the two statutory heritage consultees: Historic England and the Greater London Archaeological Advisory Service (GLAAS). Historic England: “A Considerable Improvement” and a Heritage‑Led Scheme Historic England has reviewed the revised proposals and is broadly supportive.

Many residents have understandably asked why the redevelopment of The Barn Hotel on West End Road will consist entirely of private housing, with no affordable homes included. Given that local planning policy normally seeks around 35% affordable housing on schemes of this size, the absence of any such provision has caused concern. The short answer is this: after detailed financial scrutiny, the scheme has not been shown to generate enough surplus to fund affordable housing without becoming loss-making.

Following the RRA's concerns regarding the outdated evidence and procedural flaws in the planning assessment for 73 High Street, that might risk prejudicing any subsequent appeal. Request for Management Review – Officer Report Accuracy and Procedural Conduct | Ruislip Residents’ Association, an appeal has now been lodged against Hillingdon Council’s refusal of the application at 73 High Street, Ruislip…

On Thursday, June 30th. the school held its Prize Giving for the Academic Year 2025/6. Visitors gathered in the Atrium half an hour before the beginning of the ceremony. There was a welcome performance by the Jazz Band and cool drinks were being served and students were offering tasty nibbles that they had prepared. When everyone was seated in the hall 

Planning Applications APPROVED:   Ref Address Application Date of Decision 71603/APP/ 2025/2769 19 Bury Street Installation of solar panels on rear and side of roof and on the existing rear extension   18/12/2025   Planning Applications REFUSED: Ref Address Application Date of Decision 11021/APP/ 2025/2587 33 High Street Boots Opticians Replacement shopfront and entrance door to first floor 02/12/2025 Planning Application with SPLIT DECISION:

Overview of the Application Hillingdon Council has refused the planning application for an 18‑bed care home at 9 Sharps Lane (Ref: 73218/APP/2026/706). The formal decision notice was published earlier today, and the RRA has now reviewed the full officer’s report see link to it here Site Context and Heritage Significance 9 Sharps Lane occupies one of the narrowest and most historic sections of the lane, close to the Bury Street junction and opposite a row of 19th‑century cottages that contribute to the traditional village character.

The Charity CRY held its screening programme on Sunday, June 14th. at Warrender School. The reason the school was chosen as the venue was because James Markham, an ex pupil of the school, tragically lost his life to an undiagnosed cardiac condition in 2001 aged 21 years of age. His parents, Jeff & Sandra, requested that this special first memorial screening dedicated to James' memory, could be hosted by their son's primary school.

Further to the article on Sunday Lidl to Begin Leaflet Drop to 5000 Households This Week: Residents Encouraged to Give Feedback on Early Draft Proposals | Ruislip Residents’ Association  Lidl has now begun its pre‑application consultation on revised proposals for a new foodstore at the former Orchard pub site on Ickenham Road. Around 5,000 households in the surrounding area are receiving a leaflet and a FREEPOST feedback form through their letterboxes this week.

Proposal: Change of use from single dwelling (C3) to 4‑bed HMO (C4), including garage conversion. Hillingdon Council has refused the application to convert 11 Woodville Gardens into a four‑person House in Multiple Occupation. The officer report identifies three key reasons for refusal, summarised below. Substandard Living Conditions for Future Occupiers The proposal offered only a small, shared kitchen as the sole communal space for four unrelated adults.

Following our announcement that Hillingdon Council issued a Planning Enforcement Notice for 29 Torrington Road relating to: Unauthorised use as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Unauthorised rear extension Planning Enforcement Notice issued for 29 Torrington Rd for unauthorised HMO use and rear extension The owner has now lodged an appeal against this Enforcement Notice. You can view the appeal documents on the London Borough of Hillingdon planning portal by searching under reference…

Following our recent update on Lidl’s intention to prepare a revised planning application for The Orchard site Lidl Prepares a New Planning Bid for The Orchard Supermarket: The RRA Awaits the Facts Before Judging | Ruislip Residents’ Association  the RRA can now confirm that around 5,000 households will receive a leaflet this week as part of Lidl’s pre‑application public consultation. This forms part of the early engagement process and is not a planning application; nothing has yet been submitted to Hillingdon Council.

Warrender School is hosting a free screening day on Sunday, June 14th. for Cardiac Risk in Young People 14 - 35 years old. This will be run by the charity CRY. Every week in the UK at least twelve young people die of undiagnosed heart conditions. The chariry's vision is "Preventing young sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening, research and supporting affected families." 

Hillingdon Council is failing to publish vital expert advice on its public planning portal. Across several live local applications, formal consultation responses from statutory heritage and archaeology experts have been kept off the public record, with officers stating they are only provided "upon request". The Ruislip Residents’ Association has submitted a formal report to the Council's Director of Planning, calling for an immediate end to this practice and demanding that the public planning file is made genuinely accessible to residents before any further decisions are taken.

This past week brought a terrifying escalation to Ruislip Lido - one that local residents have spent years warning was inevitable.  Over a 24-hour window spanning Monday 25 May and Tuesday 26 May, Reservoir Road was completely paralysed on two consecutive days by two different massive emergency responses. Yet, while the community waits in agonising suspense for an official update on a young child pulled unconscious from the water, our local ward councillors have entirely vanished from the discussion. 

Almost exactly a year after the London Borough of Hillingdon Planning Committee unanimously refused Lidl’s application to demolish The Orchard and build a supermarket, the retailer is back for another attempt. Lidl’s new public relations representatives contacted the Ruislip Residents’ Association this afternoon to announce that a revised scheme is being prepared.  They have requested an initial meeting with the RRA to brief us on their updated plans before they launch a new pre-application public consultation.

We have received a copy of an open letter addressed to Steve Tuckwell (Leader of Hillingdon Council), Phillip Corthorne, John Riley and Peter Smallwood (Ruislip's ward councillors) and Hillingdon Council's Complaints department, and reproduce it in full, below: URGENT FORMAL COMPLAINT & SAFETY ESCALATION: Re - Dangerous Driving, Traffic Evasion, and Shift-Worker Sleep Deprivation on Ducks Hill Road I am writing to lodge a formal corporate complaint regarding the unmanaged traffic crisis on Ducks Hill Road caused by visitors to Ruislip Lido.

The recent re-routing of several buses in Ruislip due to congestion at Ruislip Bus Station has been causing problems for our residents, and especially the many visitors who come on hot days for Ruislip Lido. TfL have still not explained exactly what the problems are that caused it to suddenly remove Ruislip STation from the H13 and U10 routes. We and our councillors have asked but are still awaiting a reply.

At a time when Hillingdon is under serious financial pressure, the Council has slashed routine financial scrutiny. Here is why residents are fighting back. At the same Annual Council meeting where Hillingdon changed the rules on sealed contracts and debt write-offs, it also changed the way financial scrutiny is organised. This may turn out to be the most important change of all.

From constitutional changes to closed-door decisions: how the Council reacted to a local scandal. This article is not about whether the Theo’s Café lease was lawful or unlawful. It is about what Hillingdon Council did next. At the Annual Council meeting on 14 May 2026, the newly re-elected Conservative administration approved a package of major constitutional changes. Those changes included removing elected councillors from the process of sealing contracts, and radically altering the rules for writing off individual debts.

The Council has defaulted on its FOI obligations, the Information Commissioner has stepped in, and the original lease arrangement has been reported to the police. Here is what Hillingdon Council still refuses to answer. When we first exposed the Theo’s Café contradiction, the central question was straightforward: how did a Council lease that appeared to prohibit subletting lead to a private occupation arrangement worth £1,500 a month - and did the Council receive the income it had expected?

In recent pre-election videos, Cllr Peter Smallwood boldly praised his own track record of transparency. He told voters,  "We hope you think we have been visible, we are regularly on the Ruislip Community Facebook page, we send letters and leaflets to keep you updated with our work, we engage with Ruislip residents' associations, community groups and schools." - Cllr Smallwood, …

On Friday May 15th. Lady Bankes Primary School celebrated their amazing anniversary. The school originally opened in 1934 at Victoria Hall, which was since demolished and replaced by Ruislip Manor Library. The school then moved to the present building in 1936 and became Lady Bankes Primary School, named after a local woman Mary Hawtrey who married Sir John Bankes in 1618.

On 6th May, the Ruislip Residents’ Association published an article using Freedom of Information (FOI) data to assess the impact of Hillingdon Council’s new garden waste charge. The data showed a significant drop in kerbside green waste collections, alongside an increase in general "black bag" residual waste of approximately 1245 tonnes (or 1.2 million kilos) compared to the pre-charge average.

For nearly a year, commuters and residents walking past the double-sized billboard on Victoria Road—just between the railway bridge and the steps to the Pembroke Road car park—were treated to a rather dystopian sight. Last summer, a Superman film poster went up on the board with the ominous tagline: "It begins." And begin it did. Over the winter, the poster steadily peeled away, disintegrating to reveal the hidden layer of an even older advertisement for the sci-fi movie Mickey 17.

Hillingdon Council granted planning permission for the householder application at 149 Herlwyn Avenue (Ref: 19188/APP/2026/820) today. The approved retrospective application permits the conversion of the roof from a hip to a gable end, the inclusion of a rear dormer to create habitable roof space, and the erection of a single-storey rear extension. The planning officer's report concluded that the development is acceptable regarding design and residential amenity, noting that the rear extension is a 3-metre deep infill and the roof alterations are similar to others on the street.

All five councillors for Ruislip and Ruislip Manor have been re-elected following a higher turnout than in 2022. With a strong Conservative result across the borough, changes in neighbouring wards and a new council leadership team based locally, attention now turns to the Annual Council Meeting and the confirmation of Cabinet and scrutiny roles. The local elections saw all five councillors for Ruislip and Ruislip Manor re-elected, as turnout rose compared with 2022 across the borough.