The 7th May local elections: What your vote does (and doesn’t) decide

On Thursday 7th May, residents across Hillingdon will vote in local elections.  It will be a vote about bins, roads, parks and services – not national politics

At a time when national and international politics dominates the headlines, it’s easy to lose sight of a simple fact: May’s local elections are about how our local area is run.  Not Parliament.  Not national policy.  Not London-wide government.

What exactly are we voting for?

We are voting only for our local ward councillors.

• Ruislip elects three councillors
• Ruislip Manor elects two councillors
• Across the borough, there are 53 councillors in total.

A party (or group) with 27 or more councillors across the whole borough will control the council.  That group sets the budget, priorities, and direction of local services.

The last local elections were in 2022, where:

• Ruislip elected three Conservative councillors (Philip Corthorne, John Riley, and Peter Smallwood)
• Ruislip Manor elected two Conservative councillors (Douglas Mills and Susan O’Brien)

• Across the borough, 30 Conservative and 22 Labour councillors were elected
• The Conservatives continued their control of Hillingdon Council

Who can we vote for?

The list of candidates has now been published, and residents of both Ruislip and Ruislip Manor can choose from Conservative, Green, Liberal Democrat, Labour and Reform UK candidates:

Ruislip

• LIB – Kevin Aleong
• LAB – Sarah Askam
• GRN – Andrew Blakie
• CON – Philip Corthorne
• LAB – Simon Eckley
• REF – Margaret Heritage
• REF – Louis Hughes
• REF – Sean McSharry
• LAB – Jaya Punja
• CON – John Riley
• CON – Peter Smallwood
• LIB – Tolga Uyanik

Ruislip Manor

• GRN – Leila Akinwale
• LAB – Paul Espley
• CON – Douglas Mills
• CON – Susan O’Brien
• REF – Tony Prothero
• LIB – Miguel Santos
• LAB – Arshpreet Singh
• REF – Timothy Wheeler

Residents in Ruislip will be able to vote for any three candidates, and residents in Rusilip Manor for any two.  

There is a ward councillor for about every 6000 residents, so the difference is simply that Ruislip is a larger ward than Ruislip Manor.  Across Hillingdon there are 12 wards with three councillors, 8 wards with two councillors, and one ward with a single councillor.

When you vote, you are choosing who runs Hillingdon Council – and how it spends its budget. That means decisions that directly affect your day-to-day environment:

Your Streets and Local Environment

• Road maintenance, potholes, pavements, and street lighting
• Emptying litter bins, street cleaning, and litter picking
• Weed control on pavements, kerbs, and public spaces
• Fly-tipping response and neighbourhood upkeep

Waste and Environmental Services

• Bin collection rules and frequency
• Charges for garden waste collections and bulky waste pickups
• Recycling services and environmental maintenance
• Maintenance of parks, trees, and open spaces

Community Facilities

• Libraries, leisure centres, and cultural venues
• Parks, playgrounds, and sports facilities
• Support for local community groups

Social Care and Support

• Adult social care and support for vulnerable residents
• Children’s services, including those in care
• Support for unpaid carers and independent living

Housing and Local Planning

• Management of council housing
• Decisions on most local planning applications
• HMO licensing and enforcement
• Ensuring safe standards in shared rental housing

Local Community Safety

• CCTV, street lighting, and prevention measures
• Enforcement against anti-social behaviour
• Working in partnership with police on local issues

These are the services you see, use, and rely on every day – and they are what this election directly influences.

Local councils operate within powers set by national and regional government. Councillors can campaign or lobby – but they do not control the following:

Your Member of Parliament (MP)

• This election does not elect an MP.
• Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner is represented by David Simmonds.
• Uxbridge and South Ruislip (including Ruislip Manor) is represented by Danny Beales.
• MPs are elected at General Elections and make national laws in Westminster.

The Mayor of London

• This election does not elect the Mayor.
• The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, oversees London-wide services such as policing, transport, and strategic planning.

National Policy and Immigration

• This election does not set immigration or asylum policy.
• Border control and the use of hotels for asylum accommodation are arranged and funded nationally by the Home Office.

The NHS

• This election does not decide funding or capacity for the NHS.
• Hospitals, GP availability, and health services are run nationally and regionally – not by the council.

Policing

• This election does not control the Metropolitan Police.
• Funding, staffing, and overall priorities are set at a London-wide and national level.
• Councils work with police locally – but do not run the force.

Public Transport Networks

• This election does not manage London-wide public transport.
• The London Underground, buses, and major rail services are managed by Transport for London (TfL).

Major National Infrastructure

• This election does not approve or cancel national mega-projects.
• For projects such as HS2 or Heathrow expansion, councils can advocate and lobby, but the final decisions rest with the government.

Taxes and the Economy

• This election does not set your income tax, VAT, or national economic policy.
• These macroeconomic decisions are made by central government.

Why this distinction matters

Local elections are often debated in national terms – but the responsibilities are very different. Understanding that boundary helps you:

• Assess claims more clearly.
• Focus on what councillors can realistically deliver.
• Separate local decisions from national debate.

In One Line

You are not voting for an MP, the Mayor of London, or national policy. You are voting for who runs your local council.

A Simple Rule of Thumb

If it affects:

• your street
• your bins
• your local park
• your local services
  → it’s likely a council decision.

If it affects:

• national laws
• borders
• the NHS
• London-wide services
  → it’s not decided in this election.

On May 7th, we are not choosing a government in Westminster.  We are not choosing a new London Mayor.  We are choosing who manages the services, spaces, and support systems that shape our everyday life in Ruislip and Ruislip Manor, and collectively across the whole of Hillingdon.