Borough's coronavirus infection rate remains the highest in London
In the period 17 October to 23 October 2020 the Covid-19 infection rate per 100,000 people in Ealing was 220.3. Although the highest in London this figure must be put into a national perspective. The highest rates of infection are: Blackburn with Darwen, 785.6, Rossendale, 675.7 and Oldham, 625.4. At the lowest infection rates are the Isle of Wight, Cornwall and Somerset all with under 50 cases/100,000 people.
However the rates in specific neighbourhoods in Ealing show a wide variation. Here is just a sample of what I dug out of the Government’s data mine:
Southall West: 340
Northolt East: 313
Norwood Green: 286.3
Southall Park: 244.1
Ealing Broadway: 225.1
Acton Central: 181.9
Elthorne Park: 155.4
Cuckoo Park, Hanwell: 151.2
West Ealing: 132.3
More at: coronavirus-staging.data.gov.uk
One might have thought Ealing Council might regularly publish such figures as these. Sadly I can find no evidence of this.
Ealing’s Test and Trace
Response to my Freedom of Information request has revealed that Ealing Public Health attributes the high incidence of Covid-19 infections being ’predominantly due to widespread community and household transmission rather that any large outbreak’. It failed to explain why such transmission might be higher in Ealing than in, say, Lewisham and Greenwich (suburbs with much lower infection rates).
Ealing Public Health also stated that ‘(the identity of) specific buildings where people have tested (Covid-19) positive cannot be shared due to data protection and confidentiality’. This statement is an odd one. If 50 staff and pupils at Elthorne High School tested Covid-19 positive in what way might this information be confidential or relevant to data protection?
Finally it was confirmed that on 19 June 2020 Ealing Council received a Test and Trace service grant of £2,261,924.
Ealing Council Gives £62,000 to Ealing Foodbank
Further funding has been provided to support food deliveries by Ealing Community Transport. Ealing Foodbank publishes a monthly shopping list and locations where food can be donated, more at: ealing.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/
Ealing Council and NHS Test & Trace Organise/Sponsor Bulb Planting in Dean Gardens, West Ealing
10am to noon on Saturday 14 November 2020 under the banner of ‘Do Something Good’ volunteers are invited to Dean Gardens in central West Ealing to plant spring-flowering bulbs and spread wildflower seeds.
Prior to the onset of Covid-19, many flowers, shrubs and trees were destroyed in Dean Gardens in the run up to the official commencement of the TfL financed £1.3 million makeover of the gardens. However this ‘Live West Ealing/West Ealing Liveable Neighbourhood’ project got de-railed first by the Covid-19 lockdown closing the play area. Following the end of lockdown, TfL’s perilous financial position put the project on hold – and this is still the case.
More on the planting project at: www.facebook.com/events/329032091509043
Covid-19 Restricted Victoria Hall Has Been Secretly Available for Hire since Mid-September 2020
This information came to light very recently – almost by accident. Ealing Council’s Arts and Culture Manager Jan De Schynkel stated on 26 October 2020 that room hire bookings are now being taken through to the end of March 2021. However it’s all a bit odd as the costs of hiring Victoria Hall and other rooms in Ealing Town Hall are nowhere to be found on Ealing Council’s web site. The published hire costs are only valid up to May 2019.
Eric Leach
eric.alan.leach@gmail.com
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October 29, 2020
