Hounslow Council has approved a climate change resilience plan to protect the borough from extreme weather, but half of the £7 million required to implement it remains unfunded. The plan, adopted in cabinet on Tuesday, September 8, outlines eight priority actions to address risks that include surface water flooding, heatwaves, river flooding, wildfires, severe storms, and drought.
Risk assessment and vulnerable residents
The council has assessed that Hounslow is at “very high risk” of surface water flooding and heatwaves, at “high risk” of river flooding and wildfires, and at “medium risk” of severe storms and drought. The plan was developed under a scenario in which temperatures increase by two and four degrees Celsius on average.
Using climate hazard data and social inequality metrics, the council identified 71,000 residents across 34 areas as most vulnerable to these climate impacts. The eight priority actions are designed to “make the most significant difference to reduce risk,” according to council documents.
Funding gap and external opportunities
Approximately 50 per cent of the actions identified within the plan will be delivered through existing projects and planned capital investment. These will cost about £1 million, which is already included in council budgets. However, the remaining half of the plan remains unfunded, with £6 million needed to carry out the proposals.
The progression of these unfunded parts will be subject to council procedures. The council will continue to chase external funding opportunities, including securing Environment Agency and Thames Water funding for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and other flood resilience programmes. Council documents state that “failure to improve resilience is very likely to result in increased repair, recovery and service disruption costs arising from future climate impacts.”
Councillors' statements on preparedness
Speaking in cabinet on Tuesday, September 8, Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Public Realm, said: “We want to do everything we can to prepare for the worst. This is a report that models all eventualities from two degrees of warming to four degrees of warming, and looks at those worst case scenarios... We are as a council doing everything we can to bring down our emissions and we are aiming to get to net-zero by 2030, but we have to recognise that's just a drop in the ocean.”
He added: “We are just one small part to play in that wider drive to reach net-zero as a society, bring carbon emissions down across the world, and ultimately stop warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius, so some of these worst case scenarios that we see in this report don't come to pass... We're going to start preparing today and make sure that this borough is ready for all eventualities.”
Cllr Amjer Grewal, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Safety, spoke “as a mum” and “a grandparent” in cabinet, saying: “I know how important it is that we take action now to adopt climate resilient measures that will protect and enhance our boroughs for generations to come. We want future generations to inherit a borough that is not only livable, but one where they can truly thrive.”
Eight priority actions in the plan
To strengthen drought resilience, the council will “improve preparedness in critical buildings and services”, promote water conservation, and provide “targeted support” for vulnerable and high-risk groups during prolonged hot and dry periods. The council says it will protect essential infrastructure through coordinated “drought-ready management”, helping to safeguard water supplies, public services, green spaces, and community wellbeing during extreme weather.
Borough-wide resilience to extreme heat will be improved by strengthening heatwave planning, delivering accessible heat-safety communications, and ensuring residents, particularly vulnerable groups, can stay safe during periods of high temperatures. The plan also includes reducing overheating in buildings through targeted cooling, shading, and ventilation measures in schools, social housing, corporate buildings, and priority care facilities.
For flooding, the council will increase community preparedness for surface water flooding through improved communication, awareness, and practical guidance, including targeted support for residents in higher-risk communities. It will also reduce flood risk in vulnerable locations by delivering sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and green infrastructure projects. The plan supports long-term flood defence planning and investment by aligning with Thames Estuary 2100 and riverside strategies, while reviewing and prioritising local tidal defence assets for maintenance and future upgrades.
Finally, to reduce wildfire risk, the council will coordinate planning and land management by integrating parks and natural spaces into heat and wildfire strategies and aligning borough-wide actions with emergency response partners. The plan's implementation will proceed with the £1 million already budgeted, while the council seeks additional funding for the remaining £6 million in actions.
