Author: David

These notes are not intended to capture everything that was said at the meeting. They are just trying to capture some of the main items discussed.

1. East Lodge

The original planning application was withdrawn. Over 3,000 objections. Questions asked about why the lodge has not been included in a conservation area. Cllr Manro explained the delay caused by the staff member involved having to leave and took time to recruit a replacement. A new application may yet come forward.

2.Lammas Park and Flood risk works

The Council has authorized flood risk alleviation works in three of its parks – Lammas, Dean Gardens and Belevue Park Park. The aim is to capture excess surface water and then release it slowly back in to the sewer systems in order to avoid flooding at times of heavy rain,

The Lammas Park works have caused much local concern over the area of park taken up, delays in works and worries about e-coli in the water. Cllr Driscoll, cabinet member for climate action, spoke to this and explained the actions being taken by the Council and Thames Water to investigate possible misconnections to the sewer systems and rectify any problems. The works have yet to pass their final tests, so no date yet for completion.

3.West Ealing Community Library

Catherine Fitzgibbon is leading the group negotiating with the Council to take on the lease for the library which is run by volunteers. Her priority at the moment is to recruit new directors to join the board of West Ealing Community CIC which will be the organization taking on the lease. It is a small not-for-profit organization and needs to strengthen its governance in readiness for running the library. Anyone interested in joining the board please email – info@mywestealing.org.uk

4.Law and Order

David Highton, chair of WEN, said he was clear that our local MP Deirdre Costigan, our local councillors and the police themselves are all well aware of the level of concern about anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and drug taking in West Ealing.

He stressed the importance of people reporting ASB so the police have a record of it as this helps decide how they will deploy their teams. (details of ways of reporting are on the WEN website – www.westealingneighbours.org.uk )

There will be a new team of eight police who are being recruited for Ealing Broadway town centre. He said it was important that West Ealing was included as part of the town centre so they would spend time here.

5.Town Teams/Your Town Your Voice

This is a new initiative. Each of the boroughs seven towns now has a town team set up to encourage local community involvement in deciding how to spend their allocation from the  initial £480k budget for the borough. They will later be able to have a say in how the 10-15% of moneys from the Community Infrastructure levy will be spent. The team covering West Ealing is in the process of setting up guidelines for organisations wanting to apply. The one for Hanwell is not looking for applications.

6.West Ealing Action Group

This is another newly set up group. The Mayor of London has allocated £50k to improve the West Ealing high street, re-purpose empty shops, explore night-time activities and more. Any group interested in joining can email Cllr Manro – manros@ealing.gov.uk

7.Victoria Hall

The largest public hall in Ealing is owned by a charity. The Council wants to dispose of it to a hotel developer. Friends of Victoria Hall (FoVH) have been battling to save it for the community. The final phase of the legal battle over its future comes to a head in November. FoVH are looking for funds to help pay their costs – https://savethevictoriahall.weebly.com/

8.Stop and Shop

Some confusion over the introduction of a new scheme by the Council. The main reason for the new scheme is to stop people parking for hours or days in these short stay spaces. The Council has no way of knowing how long people have been parking in these so little or no enforcement. Under the new scheme people will have to register first before parking for their free 30 minutes. However, they can then extend their stay by paying for more time.

There was concern over people who did not have the smart phone needed to use the parking app. Cllr Driscoll explained there are alternatives such as some high street shops offering ‘pay point’.

Later clarification: The transaction charge is 10p and not 20p  when using the ‘pay by phone’ app.  We are in the final year for the 10p charge. It might go up in the future.  

9.Development sites

Dean Gardens car park

Cllr Manro confirmed that the work on this site will almost certainly have to be demolished and a new contractor found to start again.

Green Man Lane

Phase 4 soon to be underway once a new contractor has been appointed.

Gurnell

The leisure centre and housing are separate projects. Work on the leisure center should start early 2026

Kwik Fit site

Demolition has started. No date yet for the building work.

Majestic Wine Warehouse site

A change of plans means it will now be student accommodation with towers of 17. 14 and 5 storeys. The Council has negotiated a cash payment because of this change and loss of potential social housing.

Manor Road site

Much concern about the management Manor Road by the contractor and many felt it was an accident waiting to happen. Cllr Manro will ask for this to be checked.

Orion Park

A contractor should be appointed soon

St James Ave

A change of plan to a more modest development as Luxgrove haven’t found a housing association willing to but the planned social housing element. So, no bridge over the street joining the two sides.

Waitrose

No plans to start building until 2026. Waitrose have set up regular meetings with local groups to try to keep them informed about plans and progress. WEN is one of the groups involved

Old Woolworth’s site

Another Luxgrove development site. No work started yet.

🌟 Join the Movement to Shape West Ealing’s Future! 🌟

Become a Board Member of the West Ealing Community (WEC) Community Interest Company (CIC)

Are you concerned about the future of West Ealing?  Do you want to be part of an organisation dedicated to its improvement and transformation?

The WEC Community Interest Company (CIC) manages the West Ealing Community Library (WECL). This is a key activity in fulfilling its commitment to creating a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving neighbourhood for everyone who lives, works, or visits West Ealing.

We’re looking for passionate, forward-thinking individuals to join the WEC Board and help guide our mission. If you care about building community, sustainability, and local impact in West Ealing — we want to hear from you!

💼 What Does the WEC Do?

WEC was established to “carry out activities which benefit people who live, work or visit West Ealing”.  We are and continue to support and develop initiatives that:

• Promote arts, culture, and community events – including the SoundBite Festival in Dean Gardens and the Christmas Fair in December
• Create long-term community assets of benefit to the whole community, specifically managing WECL
• Build a strong sense of community, social cohesion and improve dialogue
• Improve community safety and the well-being of those who reside in or pass through West Ealing
• Support the development local businesses, job opportunities  and enterprise
• Foster a sense of pride in the area’s open spaces, streets, local services and cultural activities
• Boost opportunity for innovation, creativity and development amongst businesses and residents’

🧠 Who Are We Looking For?

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. You don’t need board experience — just a commitment to West Ealing and a willingness to contribute your time and talents. That said, we’re especially keen to hear from people with skills or experience in:

Skill Area	Why It Matters
People management, recruitment and training	Having motivated staff, volunteers working to deliver our aims
Finance & Budgeting	Ensuring responsible use of funds and financial sustainability
Legal & Governance	Supporting our growth, compliance and ethical decision-making
Fundraising & Grant Writing	Securing resources to grow our impact
Marketing & Communications	Raising awareness and promoting our work
Community Engagement	Building trust and participation across diverse groups
Urban Planning & Regeneration	Shaping the physical and social landscape of West Ealing
Environmental Sustainability	Driving green initiatives and climate resilience
Arts & Culture	Enriching local life through creative programming
Small Business Support	Strengthening the local economy and entrepreneurship

🤝 What’s In It for You?

• Make a real difference in your community
• Collaborate with passionate local changemakers
• Gain valuable leadership and governance experience
• Be part of shaping West Ealing’s future

📩 Ready to Get Involved?

To express interest or learn more, email us at info@mywestealing.org.ukor call David Highton on 07968 819016.

Let’s build a better West Ealing — together.

Ealing Climate Change Action events at West Ealing Community Library opened with a School Uniform Swap. On 6 September, 35 families – mums, dads and children collected 114 items of school uniform and, at the same event, donated 145 school uniform items.

“This has been a real success thanks to the generosity and resourcefulness of West Ealing residents,” the organiser of the swap, Mary Horesh of Ealing Repair Cafe, said. “I like to help and encourage people to make positive steps to help the planet and the environment,” said Mary.

Kinga Savory, a volunteer fund-raiser at West Ealing Community Library, joined Mary in displaying the uniforms and helping families to find their choices. Kinga, who set up Ealing’s Climate Cafe, also highlights the climate benefits of swaps. She points out what Act for Ealing Climate Action Hub says:

“Up to 1.4 million school uniforms, many of which could be reused, are thrown away every year. Many of the garments contain high levels polyester, that is equal to around 350 tonnes of plastic. Over the last decade, clothing has become the fastest growing stream of waste in the UK, and it now represents the fifth biggest environmental footprint of any industry in the UK.

Around £52 million is spent each year on new items with parents, guardians and carers discarding uniform that still has lots of wear in it. Uniform which has been worn should be reused. Extending the life of clothing by just 9 months can reduce carb on and water usage by up to 10%. This will also help reduce the huge amount of clothing that is sent abroad each year.”

While the climate-boosting uniform exchange was going on, library users were helped by West Ealing Community Library volunteers Sunita Mainee and Steve Sharkey to use the library computers and photocopier, borrow and return books.

This month, 20 – 28 September, West Ealing Community Library celebrates Ealing Climate Week.

Come to the Library and see books, materials and online resources with practical ways to repair, re-use, reduce, recycle. Visit wecl.org.uk

For more information on Ealing Climate Week visit www.ealingclimate week.org

Further evidence of the level of frustration with the anti-social behaviour and drug related problems in West Ealing is captured in this petition calling for action by the police and council. Full details of the petition which has already been signed by over 170 can be found here.

This is a West Ealing wide problem and one we’ve looked at recently both in our last public meeting and in an article on this site.

At the end of our public meeting on 24^th October 2024, a number of people raised concerns about not feeling safe in West Ealing. We decided to follow up on this to see how widespread these concerns were. We set up an online survey which ran for a month, finishing on 20^th February. We also commissioned a journalist, Smriti Gopal, to investigate this topic in more depth.

The results of the online survey are available to view here. It is important to point out that the respondents chose to complete the survey i.e. it was self-selecting, so it should not be taken as an opinion poll. Even so, the results clearly indicate a high level of concern about anti-social behaviour and that people are feeling less safe in West Ealing than a year ago.

Lastly, in this brief introduction, it is worth pointing out that West Ealing is home to Ealing Magistrates’ Court, the Probation Office and RISE (the addiction treatment agency). This inevitably means more people with a history of anti-social behaviour coming to West Ealing.

The following is an extract from an article by Smriti Gopal:

In addition to the above mentioned online survey, we have been speaking to many residents anonymously about the incidents that they witnessed and to better understand their concerns and find ways of how the community can come together and improve safety for everyone. To help us get as full a picture as possible, we also spoke to some local agencies offering help and support. This included the local police, the team at Solace, a West Ealing based mental health resource centre providing a support network to the residents in the Ealing borough and some local pharmacies. We were not able to get a response from RISE.

The centre of West Ealing is covered by two wards – Walpole and Hanwell Broadway. We spoke to Patrick Chapman, Chair of the quarterly Walpole ward police meetings where local residents can raise their concerns with the ward police team. He explained the priorities and goals for the Walpole ward.   “Antisocial behaviour is right at the top of our priorities including drugs which is another high priority and street drinking –  all equally important. Drugs and antisocial behaviour are major issues in society these days. We ask the police to focus on particular locations within the ward which are major hot spots.”

He added, “Antisocial behaviour sadly is an endemic problem in society. Police are doing their best with their work. If the police are warned and told about these problems, police will patrol the area to try to solve the problem. Maybe we, as residents, can change the pattern how the police work to make a positive impact. Walpole ward is getting more police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSO). We are getting more staff on the police team than before. This means that they will be able to patrol more and help all of us in the area to keep a lid on antisocial behaviour.”

Inspector Lee Ballard heads up the Neighbourhood Policing team covering West Ealing. He attended the most recent Walpole panel meeting in February (next on is 20^th May). He agreed with Mr Chapman’s comments and went on to say, “My team and I are committed to being highly visible and present on the streets of West Ealing to deter crime and tackle our local issues and concerns through community-based policing.”

We had a wide range of comments from residents about how anti-social behaviour affected them: 

 “There have been alleged murders in Dean Gardens and I don’t feel safe to go through West Ealing anymore, especially at night time. Because of this, I now do my shopping online.”

“Antisocial behaviour makes me feel fearful when walking on the streets in west Ealing. I now might walk less and drive more or drive elsewhere to do my shopping and errands.”

“Walking through Dean Gardens used to be a shortcut for me. I don’t walk down this route anymore, especially at night because of the following alleged incidents – there are a group of men just sitting on the bench in the night and one doesn’t know what their intentions are. Sometimes they are alcoholics drinking and one of them had a kitchen vegetable knife with them. The guy started chasing a passer-by around the park with the knife. There have been rapes in this park and because of all these crimes, we’ll be looking to move out of West Ealing.”

“I’m not actually keen on walking down Melbourne Avenue after everything is shut. While the supermarket is open it’s not that bad. Also, the hotel around the corner has been open which sheds a bit of light. Generally, this a very poorly lit stretch and certainly once the supermarket starts shutting, in the evening, I don’t really like walking down here because there can be people allegedly hanging around and loitering that area and this hanging around has got worse, this past year. It doesn’t feel that safe.”

Inspector Lee Ballard addressed the concern of safety, “If anyone felt unsafe they can download the Street Safe app and use it to report issues anonymously, where you felt unsafe in public places and explain why; the app would identify the hotspots.”

Melbourne Avenue, Mattock Lane and Radbourne Walk are some of the major hot spots which the police are currently focusing on for the priority of drugs and antisocial behaviour. PS Katie Weston from the Metropolitan Police, also attended the last Walpole ward panel meeting. She said, “There has been a significant increase in street drinking and drug use since December. I’ve managed to obtain some extra resources from other areas and they have been patrolling the area around St. John’s and Melbourne Avenue more frequently. The police were trying to move people on and they have issued Community Protection Warning (CPWs) and Community Protection Notices (CPNs) to individuals but many of these individuals do not care and carry on regardless. The police have made a number of arrests recently, one of whom was on a recall to prison and several of them have been referred to Ealing RISE, the borough’s addiction treatment agency.”

West Ealing Neighbours was particularly concerned about how women and young girls felt about their personal safety as this concern was the starting point for our survey and this article.  Caitlin from the Press Office department of the Met Police provided us with a statement about this, she stated, “Ealing Safer Neighbourhoods is committed to delivering the strongest ever Neighbourhoods policing in the area to protect and serve all our local community. Tackling violence against women and young girls remains a significant priority for the Metropolitan Police Service as a whole.”

Returning to our online survey, we asked – “Do you feel less safe, than a year ago?” Results showed 221 residents said “yes” they feel less safe than a year ago and 64 residents said “no” they don’t feel less safe than a year ago.  The comments from residents described what they felt was an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour.  Many mentions were made of seeing individuals hanging around for drugs and drug dealing and leaving evidence behind on the street such as cans of Nitrous Oxide more commonly known as laughing gas – a recreational drug.

But this is not the only drug that is used. Along with the use of drugs, crack and heroin, individuals use methadone, a class A drug on prescription, as a maintenance therapy to combat the use of heroin. Drug addicts frequent two particular pharmacies in West Ealing specifically for methadone, Mattock Lane Pharmacy on St. John’s Parade and Grosvenor Pharmacy on the Broadway. Many residents are concerned, that because drug addicts and dealers go here, it attracts more of these groups of people here, leaving residents feeling very unsafe.

Being on drugs does not always mean an individual is an addict. It might also be that the individual is going through some difficult mental health moments in their life, which ends up making them struggling to cope with everyday life.

A member at Solace’s mental health resource centre, based in West Ealing,  explained that “Losing my children, triggered my mental health condition. I fell under the mental health service 29 years ago after some horrific things and ended up in hospital quite a lot. I did some dangerous things to myself which at the time I did not acknowledge but it was just the trauma I was in at the time with my mental health. A social worker brought me to Solace 20 years ago. Mirna and the team have been a massive support to me and helped me through my mental health problems. We have well-being groups here. It’s about talking to one another and understanding each other about what has helped them. It helps when someone has gone through similar experiences who share how to become a better person. It helped me make a positive difference to myself and to others. I’m back in touch with my children now.” 

After hearing about this, we followed up with Catherine Bingham, Senior Recovery Worker at Solace, to gain a deeper understanding. She said, “We assist patients from all over the Ealing borough. We help patients who have been going in and out of hospital for several years. When patients come to us here, in a safe environment, we encourage them to talk to us to understand their conditions so that patients can feel connected, especially with other people who also might have the same condition. For example, sometimes people are in a difficult situation but it’s the strength that people find when they get support from us. We learn about them and this helps us to quickly spot identifiers of someone’s mental health, so that we can address their condition before it escalates.

Also, patients get support through peer support to help raise awareness about their conditions. Sometimes there are moments where patients need further clinical support and medicine so we refer them to clinicians. If a patient doesn’t have anyone to help them, it’s for them to go to their GP who will have a social prescriber or a mental health person at their surgery. So they’ll need to use a computer to get a referral. The mental health professional will contact us to deal with the referral form. Our slogan is, together accepting difference. We’ve had the good fortune of getting refreshed funding from both the Ealing council and the west London Mental Health Trust. We had Deirdre Costigan, Labour MP, for Ealing and Southall come to Solace on 6^th December 2024 so we have the funding to go forward.”   

Finally, we asked Cllr. Jasbir Anand, Ealing Council’s Cabinet member for tackling crime and antisocial behaviour for her views on the current situation.

She said: “We’ve been actively engaging with the Hanwell and West Ealing community and recently held a meeting in Hanwell, with residents and MP Deirdre Costigan, to discuss tackling crime and anti-social behaviour.

“Ealing Council has been liaising closely with the Hanwell Broadway and Walpole Safer Neighbourhoods teams-(local policing teams). We have been sharing information provided to us by residents to guide their patrols, discussing individuals/addresses that are coming to our attention and they can explore enforcement action.

“As well as coordinating with them, Ealing Council’s safer communities team has arranged for Parkguard, our private security contractors, to begin attending specific areas within West Ealing including St John’s Church, Leeland Road, Melbourne Avenue and Uxbridge Road, in addition to their regular patrols of Ealing Council’s estates and parks. The team will carry out daily, high visibility, patrols to gather intelligence around these areas and will address issues of antisocial behaviour. When this is not being addressed Parkguard will request police assistance. In addition, Ealing Council has arranged for regular CCTV patrols of those areas and will alert the police to any incidents and share stills/footage.”

Where to get help

Reporting a crime

Metropolitan Police

If it is an emergency call 999

Non-emergencies call 101

Report online at https://www.met.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/how-to-report-a-crime

Crimestoppers

You can report anonymously with Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or online at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/  They will pass on the information.

Mental Health

Solace Centre

The borough’s daily out-of-hours mental health resource centre. Clients need to be referred through a number of agencies. See their website for more details – https://www.westlondon.nhs.uk/our-services/adult/mental-health-services/solace-centre

Ealing Safe Space

A service for anyone, including carers, who feel they are reaching crisis point. More details on their website – https://www.westlondon.nhs.uk/our-services/adult/mental-health-services/safe-spaces

Safety Concerns

StreetSafe is a service from the police that allows you to report anonymously concerns such as poorly lit streets, vandalism as well as occasions when you feel unsafe due to being followed or verbally abused. Their website is https://www.police.uk/pu/notices/streetsafe/street-safe/

Homelessness

StreetLink is a service  linking people sleeping rough to local services. You can report a rough sleeper on their website https://thestreetlink.org.uk/

Addiction

RISE is the borough’s service to help people who want to cut down or stop their use of drugs and alcohol. Details of their services are on their website – https://www.changegrowlive.org/service/ealing-rise/west-ealing

Fly-tipping

The Love Clean Streets app allows you to report environmental issues such as fly-tipping and potholes to Ealing Council – https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201230/my_account/2263/love_clean_streets/

Smriti Gopal