Situated on the Heathrow side of Inner-London, the assets at our disposal are impressive. At White City, in partnership with Imperial College London, we are growing an already world-renowned Innovation District with key sectoral strengths in the life sciences and pharma, and creative industries, including film and TV. We are ambitious and are growing international links. We recently signed an economic memorandum of understanding with the City of Barcelona and their 22@Barcelona innovation district. Hammersmith and Fulham has been named the top council in London and ninth in the UK for climate emergency plans.
The Council will soon be moving back into its regenerated Town Hall, overlooking the Thames riverside. The new environmentally positive designs meet the needs of local people and adds to the beauty of the original Grade II-listed building. The civic campus will breathe new life into King Street and reinvent the concept of the Town Hall; facilities will include a new cinema and a roof-top public bar and café.
We believe local government has a role in supporting growth and we are committed to modernising and transforming our housing services, from digitally enabled services to energy efficient and affordable homes. By 2030 our vision is for all residents in the borough to live in comfortable, affordably heated and well-adapted homes that are cost efficient and have zero carbon impact.
Our climate and ecology strategy sets out the route to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 for the borough. Its goal is a clean and sustainable future in which human activity works to the benefit of all people and the environment. It seeks a safe climate for future generations, along with rich ecosystems that support people and nature, a thriving green economy, and the best possible health, wellbeing and quality of life for all our residents. Our vision is that the transition from fossil fuels will be an empowering and collective effort in which all have a voice, and the challenges and opportunities from change will be shared justly. In Hammersmith & Fulham, we want to use the power of local government to create a borough able to compete with the best in the 21st century.
Our borough is divided into 21 wards. Each of these wards is represented by either two or three elected councillors, bringing the total number of councillors for the borough to 50. Councillors are elected every four years. The composition of the council is currently Labour 40, Conservative 10. The Leader of the Council is Cllr Stephen Cowan, and the Mayor is Cllr Emma Apthorp.
We are determined to lead the way in how councils can reform their services to achieve even better results and outcomes for residents, customers, and businesses. Our workforce is one of our greatest assets, so Our People is a strategy setting out a clear commitment to developing our staff to achieve this ambition.
Our People is an investment in our workforce creating opportunities for individuals to shine and achieve their potential here at Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
At H&F, we believe an inclusive workplace is about the visibility and representation of our local diverse community - it is about open and transparent decision making co-produced with staff and residents.
It is about respect for diversity and a shared identity that seeks to encourage fair and transparent recruitment, retention, and career progression. It is also about taking a proactive approach to equality, diversity, and inclusion so that it is part of the fabric of the Council with a shared understanding of the role all colleagues and Councillors play in realising the inclusivity of the workplace. At H&F, our workplace ensures that everybody has equal access to opportunities.