2024 Cooperative Case Studies
- May 2024
- Lead Member Hillingdon Labour and Co-op Group
- Categories Health & Social Care
The community leadership role of Councillors working across political boundaries with the ruling group.
Hillingdon is one of 32 London Borough Councils and has been held by the Conservatives since 2006. Hillingdon Labour, in opposition, is an associate member of CCIN. The area is very multicultural, particularly in the south of the Borough, and there is a large elderly and vulnerable population. There is also a high incidence of asthma and other respiratory illnesses due to poor air quality; Hillingdon covers Heathrow Airport and a number of motorway links out of West London. As the Covid-19 situation developed, the Council entered emergency mode and the Leader of the Council (Sir Raymond Puddifoot MBE, Conservative) and the Leader of the opposition Labour Group (Peter Curling) began speaking regularly. The conversations took place so that parties were kept up to date with activities, could share points of view on the situation and could exchange knowledge that would directly impact the Council’s priorities. For example, local geographical knowledge held by different Councillors was used to prioritise road repairs while routes were quieter due to lockdown.
