On May 5, voters across the UK will head to the polls to decide who will run their local authority.

A total of 172 candidates will be vying for 62 seats in Hounslow. While Labour will not be expecting too many shocks, a combination of local issues, council tax increases and new ward boundaries could see the Conservatives challenge for more seats this time round.

Key Issues

Like elsewhere in London, Hounslow Council's attempts to improve road safety and encourage more walking and cycling have caused controversy in the borough and may be a key factor in certain wards come May 5.

The implementation of the council's Streetspace schemes, which include new cycle lanes, extended pavements and traffic restrictions, have been met with anger locally, including a legal challenge by local taxi drivers.

Controversy over one such scheme, in Chiswick, led to the deselection of Labour councillor Richard Eason as a candidate in May after he criticised the council leadership for failing to consider residents' views.

But voters across the borough are also likely to be concerned with the ongoing cost of living crisis and the impact of council tax increases, with polling having found it to be the top concern among many Londoners.

Half of all London councils, including Hounslow, increased council tax by the maximum amount – 2.99 per cent – for the financial year 2022/23.

The average annual Band D council tax bill in Hounslow will rise to £1,774 an increase from £1,702 last year.

Details

Since the first borough council elections in 1964, Hounslow Council has largely remained under Labour control, broken by one Conservative majority between 1968 and 1971, and one term from 2006 to 2010 when no party had overall control.

At the last local elections in 2018, Labour had its best result ever in Hounslow in terms of the number of seats won, claiming 51 of the council's 60 seats with 54.1 per cent of the popular vote.

Two seats changed hands from Conservative to Labour in 2018, leaving the Tories with nine seats on Hounslow Council.

Turnout in 2018 was 36.61 per cent, similar to the turnout in previous local elections.

Ahead of the 2022 local elections, the Local Government Boundary Commission decided that Hounslow should be divided into 22 wards, up from 20, and represented by 62 councillors, up from 60.

Heading into this year's election, the political makeup of Hounslow Council is slightly different to what it was following the last election owing to a series of by-elections that have taken place since 2018.

Long-serving Labour councillors Rajinder Bath and John Chatt both died in summer 2019, with by-elections to fill their seats taking place in December alongside the General Election.

While the former's seat was retained by Labour, the latter was lost to the Conservatives with the parties split by just 50 votes.

Two further by-elections in May 2021 saw Labour retain two seats.

Just last month as campaigners were gearing up for May's elections, Hounslow's Labour group was rocked by infighting when councillor Theo Dennison tabled a motion of no confidence in council leader Steve Curran.

The motion was thrown out, leading to Mr Dennison's resignation from the Labour group, while Mr Curran announced he would be standing down in May due to ill health.

Demographics

Estimates from 2018 put Hounslow's population at 270,782, while the 2011 Census recorded the population as 253,957.

Hounslow is home to a significant Indian community, which accounts for 18.96 per cent of the borough's total population. Overall, people from Asian or Asian British backgrounds make up 34.36 per cent of Hounslow's population.

People from white British backgrounds represent 37.91 per cent of the borough's population, while those from other white backgrounds make up 11.53 per cent.

Hounslow residents of black African heritage make up 4.25 per cent of the borough's population, while those from black Caribbean backgrounds account for 1.33 per cent.

The vast majority of residents in Hounslow (63.2 per cent) are working age adults, aged between 18 and 64, while those aged 17 and under account for 24.2 per cent of the population. Over-65s make up 12.6 per cent.

Hounslow has a poverty rate of 25 per cent and a child poverty rate of 41 per cent, which are considered average according to Trust for London. Unemployment in the borough stands at 5 per cent.