Hounslow Council has unveiled a far-reaching Recovery Plan to steer the borough through the major economic and social challenges over the months ahead.

The borough is projected to be one of the hardest hit boroughs economically due to the impact of Covid-19 and lockdown.

According to an an independent report by Oxford Economics, commissioned by the council, the borough's economy is facing a £1bn due to the downturn at Heathrow, and estimates more than 40,000 jobs could be at risk.

New data this month found 40% of the borough's workforce is now unemployed or on furlough.

Part of the Recovery Plan includes the council's work on leading the call on the government for an Aviation Communities Fund to support areas heavily reliant on airports and associated businesses.

The Recovery Plan has been put together by the Hounslow Recovery Board – comprising leading Councillors and senior representatives of major local organisations and business - as well as four taskforces which covered economy and regeneration, social and wellbeing, community and green recovery.

Major interventions are based on renewing local economies, empowering local residents, tackling local inequalities and reimaging local places.

Council leader Steve Curran said: "Hounslow's facing some incredibly tough times ahead, the biggest challenge of our generation. To lead and support our residents and businesses through this, we need to do things differently, we need to come together, knockdown barriers and work with a common purpose.

"Our Recovery Plan – One Hounslow, Forward Together – builds on the fantastic community spirit we saw during the first wave of Covid-19.

"Its broad range of interventions to make Hounslow a fairer, greener, stronger borough embodies the spirit of collective focus and collaboration, of passion and enthusiasm for the people of Hounslow, that we will need over the coming months.

"Though the council working together with our communities, partners and businesses can do a great deal to support and empower people, the Government needs to play its part too.

"Thousands of individuals and businesses in communities across the UK reliant on the aviation industry are facing widespread unemployment, deprivation and barriers to securing future work.

"These communities around airports, so impacted by the crisis, cannot be forgotten. Places like Hounslow need a targeted Aviation Communities Fund to help minimise job losses, support training to help people into new roles, enable investment in infrastructure and ensure a sustainable and green airport recovery."

Download the Recovery Plan