Forum Topics

Contract

I pay my Council Tax. That's my side of the contract. Councillors should represent me; at least by arranging ward forums or some form of communication or a street stall or a surgery or something even a reply to an email. Our last Ward Forum was four and a half year's ago.If nothing then do I stop paying Council Tax?This is only part of the problem. If councillors don't engage with ward residents then proper consultation can't begin as it should do  "at the formative stage".Is it that power is concentrated in few hands and councillors have been instructed to keep quiet and put up their hands only when instructed?Advice and help please

Arthur Breens ● 632d3 Comments ● 631d

Sweden has finally seen the light, will Idiot UK wake up?

I doubt it, not under Comrade Starmer and his hell bent Politburo we won't.And the Conservatives and LibDems are no better, they are all useless and uncaring about Uncontrolled immigration. (As opposed to Controlled immigration, which most people don't have a problem with.)

Rosco White ● 639d4 Comments ● 632d

£100 cash + large recycling bin swop for the smaller size

Would anyone like to swop their small size Recycling Bin for the standard larger size + £100 (was £50 earlier) to sweeten the deal. If so please let me know. I am in Hanwell. The bin size I seek is the one on the right, and the one I would swop it would be the size on the left. image ref:https://us1-photo.nextdoor.com/post_photos/1b/17/1b17499cd46991c545d9acc91fc88b88.jpeg?request_version=v2&output_type=jpeg&sizing=linear

Julian Poole ● 646d3 Comments ● 632d

Will Ealing Refuse Collection accept 3rd party bins?

Long story short I need smaller bins than Ealing offer so they fit in my front better. The ones I am aiming to get are Manufactured to EN 840 and RAL-GZ 951/1 standards.I'll ask the Council but considering the time that can take, wondered if anyone in the borough had had a similar intent.Best regards

Julian Poole ● 650d15 Comments ● 633d

Suspended Labour Councillor Ricky Jones' trial deferred to August - Wottasurprise!

If that's not proof of Two Tier Keir's "Justice" system I don't know what is.Lefties please post and justify this deferment, I need the entertainment.  😂Animal Farm is alive and well, veritably thriving in Communist Keir Country.

Rosco White ● 633d5 Comments ● 633d

Bit of a plea

If you have elderly friends or neighbours, please give them a knock or a phone call to make sure that they are OK during this cold snap. Too many elderly people suffer in silence or hold hard to their pride and won't ask for help (bit of shopping etc). We are, above all, a community and we always step up to the mark. Thanks one and all.

N V Brooks ● 650d9 Comments ● 634d

Meadow restaurant

Does anybody know what is happening at Meadow restaurant? The last couple of times I went passed it appeared to be closed. I tried calling to book a table but got no answer and Google has it listed as 'temporarily closed'. I hope this is the case rather than it being gone for good.

Tricia Arbuthnot ● 638d1 Comments ● 638d

Gurnell Residential Tower Blocks

On 15 January 2025 Ealing Council will decide whether to approve or reject its own Planning Application (24170OUTR3) for 300 flats in tower blocks rising to 10 storeys. Is it right that the Council is allowed to mark its own homework? Surely the GLA or the Government should determine this proposed development.Part of the plan is to build a new Gurnell swimming pool for £45 million. Just a few years ago Ealing Conservatives estimated it would cost £18 million to repair the old swimming pool.This is the second attempt by the Council to massively develop the site. In 2021 a proposal by Malaysian developer EcoWorld for 600 flats in towers rising to 17 storeys was rejected by the Council Planning Committee.As for the new proposal, it's in the flood plain of Ealing's biggest flood risk - the River Brent. It is also on Metropolitan Open Land which can only be built upon 'in very special circumstances'. The site is also somewhat 'remote' - no major transport hub nearby, or GP surgery or shops. With just 30 car parking places for 300 flats (700+ residents) nearby Gurnell Grove will be flooded with new residents' cars.Come along to the Planning Committee meeting in Perceval House at 7pm on Wednesday 15 January and watch Councillors and Planning Officers argue with themselves and each other about to build or not to build.

Eric Alan Leach ● 655d15 Comments ● 638d

What happens to old Xmas trees?

Given the council have reneged on their green waste collection terms, can we expect the many trees I saw today on the way to Ealing Broadway station to remain on the pavements? Before they would have been picked up along with the green waste bags/bins once a fortnight. With the lorries for green waste in the depot (or leased out to other councils), where would the trees go, to landfill?

peter king ● 646d17 Comments ● 638d

It's official: we must attempt to reduce our car usage

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/london-europe-most-congested-capital-city-paris-dublin-b1203209.htmlIn the report, who said "Londoners should help cut congestion by travelling via walking, cycling and taking public transport"?

Ben Owen ● 648d63 Comments ● 639d

Happy New Year everyone!

Any (positive) resolutions, or hopes and dreams for 2025?

Dominik Klimowski ● 654d16 Comments ● 645d

Seeking a small 180 Litre size Recycling Bin

Would anyone like to swop their small 180 Litre size Recycling Bin for the standard 240 Litre Size + £50 to sweeten the deal. If so please let me know. I am in Hanwell.

Julian Poole ● 647d3 Comments ● 646d

I'm sure Ealing's Jewish residents will be looking at our beloved council's response

https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/teenager-delivers-impassioned-plea-ealing-30568313

peter king ● 672d7 Comments ● 652d

The Death of Ealing: How London suburb is being 'ruined' by gentrification - and hated Gail's bakery

Just found this little gem while jumping between two newspapers at either end of the political spectrum - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13987127/Ealing-London-ruined-gentrification-Gails-bakery.html

peter king ● 652d0 Comments ● 652d

If Sadiq Khan actually does get Knighted, it shows everything rotten about the Honours system.

He's done nothing but posture, grandstand and oversee the decline of London, especially knife crime, which has soared on his watch.He deserves firing, not giving him a Knighthood, which is farcical and proves you can be a gross incompetent and fail upwards.Like SO many things in Britain today the system is broken, and twits like him still get rewarded.I despair.(Shakes head and goes to bed early)    😊

Rosco White ● 679d39 Comments ● 652d

Quiet Anti Semitism or abject failure of the Local Council

Last January, the Ealing Holocaust Memorial Garden had a grand dedication of a memorial stone. Within a few days, this was removed due to further errors with the inscription—a notice in the park said the issue was being resolved and would be replaced soon. It's now nearly 12 months since this occurred, and nothing has been replaced. Does anyone know if this will be replaced soon?

Simon Hayward ● 652d0 Comments ● 652d

Stealth Decimation of Lammas Continues

You thought LTNs and stagnant pools were / are bad?Think again baby!!Next in line is the destruction of Culmington Road under the guise of it being “safer, greener, healthier”This hot on the heels of Boston Manor Road being further destroyed I just don’t get it…. Things have been fine and dandy for decades but these thought police and eco warriors just press on with their agenda https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=Q4w6AYeCi0yHixMeMM2585ihMuJTkQhAi2mulIGIsqlUMUxGTDNDNlg0Qkk1UEVQSEdSRVJTUVVSSC4u&route=shorturlIf you can’t cut n paste in then just google Culmington RoadI’m up for additional zebra crossings and improved lighting but the rest of it is madness

Colin Goodman ● 730d210 Comments ● 652d

LTN’s - 20min Neighbourhoods — What I Learnt Last Night

Went to Ealing Councils “Community Workshop for Ealings 20 Minute Framework for Ealing Broadway & South Ealing” last nightDidn’t know about it did you? I’m not surprised as we only heard last minute via an obscure social media post; it was advertised as Sold Out via Eventbrite but this was wrong and there was plenty of capacity. In fact it was very sparsely attended!!!The buzzwords were “Primary Active Travel Route”; “Greener Active Travel Link”; “ Climate Change and Ecological Emergency Plan” and wonderful ideas such as Focus Zones, Placemaking etcCut to the chase: this is the return of LTN’s only on steroids now.Plans under consideration (ie coming your way in a year or two) are to make South Ealing Road a Primary Active Travel Route. Questioned what this actually is the spin answer was where walking and cycling encouraged but, despite constant requests, the details of what this looked like couldn’t be shared. When I stated this can only be at the expense of car travel and “another as Chiswick High Road disaster” the very nice young lady could only go crimson and I got no response really.Exactly the same when talking about the Uxbridge Road junction around The North StarAll of these plans are formulated via the online responses numbering 1,100 which is a 1.25% sample of the effected population in these areasWhen asked where the people rolling these ideas out lived they were rather sheepish in confirming they didn’t live in these areas, some actually not even Ealing rather the well known cycling stazi of Islington!! The regeneration aspect for these areas is of course laudable and welcome.However clearly this will be at the expense of heritage and your freedom of movement by means you may choose freely The final classic snippets were nobody from Planning in attendance or involved, no consideration apparently in respect of high density high rise blocks with this just being about infrastructure. So totally disjointed which to the average Joe must appear mad as don’t you plan your infrastructure around the expected built environment as a whole???In short — there’s a nightmare heading our way

Colin Goodman ● 1046d207 Comments ● 652d

Ealing Nighttime Economy Consultation

Ealing Council has launched a public consultation about the increase in the nighttime economy ( activity after 6 p.m.). The consultation closes at Noon on January 17th.I encourage forum readers and residents to read the details, understand the positive and negative impacts, and express their feelings.Any changes in Alcohol licensing should not be implemented until there have been positive and proven improvements in local policing and the number of officers available. This should also be done in conjunction with reducing antisocial behaviour and drug dealing on the streets and improving street lighting. It shouldn't just involve increasing CCTV and local council wardens.The consultation can be found here https://ealinglicensingpolicy2025.co.uk/

Simon Hayward ● 656d3 Comments ● 655d

I asked AI for the options to legally dismiss a UK Government.

I would wager that most of us are rather unhappy with Comrade Starmer and his Stasi, to say the least. The last option 5 seems very viable to me, I will notify Reform :-In the UK, there are several legal options for dismissing an elected government and triggering a new general election:1/ Fixed-term elections: By law, a general election must be held at least every five years. 2/ Prime Minister's request: The Prime Minister can request the King to dissolve Parliament and call an early election2. The King typically grants this request, as it is part of the royal prerogative exercised on ministerial advice.3/ Vote of no confidence: If the government loses a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons, they are expected to either resign or call a general election.4/ Loss of majority: If the government loses its working majority in Parliament, it may be forced to call an election or resign.5/ Recall petitions: While this doesn't directly dismiss the government, individual MPs can be subject to recall petitions. If 10% of voters in a constituency sign a recall petition, the MP loses their seat, triggering a by-election.It's important to note that the public cannot directly force a general election. Opposition parties and the public can only try to put pressure on the government if they believe an election should be held sooner.The King's role in calling elections is largely ceremonial. While the King technically has the power to refuse a dissolution request, this has not happened in modern times and would be highly controversial.

Rosco White ● 668d36 Comments ● 661d