Forum Topic

Ealing Labour Council and the hypocrisy of building 27 Council Homes

Ref: Ealing Council building 27 council homes on Dabbs Hill and Eastcote LaneLooking at the land in question, they could have built a lot more than 27 homes for council housing purposes.The phrase 'smoke and mirrors' comes to mind, and I would like Ealing Today to ask why this large expanse of land is only suitable for a total development of 45 homes (when you add the shared ownership angle and 4 private ones) at 4 storeys high when developers are convincing the Council to build 300 homes in high rise buildings, at 30 storeys,  in North Acton with only a small fraction going to take anyone off the council waiting list.I suppose we all know the answer though don't we...housing developers approaching the council prefer the resale capability of Acton etc, closer to the City etc, more £ for building smaller units if you are a major house builder.It seems the Council will headline this development, get pictured in their non-pressed, non-matching chinos and suit jacket (my word is this man Julian Bell really the leader of our area?), but it does nothing to address the concerns of normal people in our area that we are having our amenity provision and character ruined for generations by a Council completely hell bent on following Sadiq Khan's housing target numbers - that will do wonders for him as national politician, but erode communities that make up our city.They make a big play on this consultation - they only consult when it suits them!  Ask the residents over the type of consultation that go on by their established partner A2 Dominion for instance,  they put an animated, line drawing together in their recent proposals for West Ealing that even masked the height of the development, and did one afternoon presentation in the basement of a pub, and this consultation was for 25 storeys!  You could always email in though.....They only consult properly when it suits them, and I implore Ealing Today and all media organisations to get to the root of the issues here not just picture them handing over a set of keys and run a press release from them.I am really, really disappointed in Ealing Labour generally, the glad handing on this and it's telling that James Murray MP has joined the charade as he like the rest of the MPs are quick to tell us that planning is the Council's responsibility - so can we now write to him now and expect a valid response on the monstrosities that are planned in our Borough?  That have a small fraction of social housing element, but get waved through planning on this basis?  He wants pictured here on a planning housing issue so is it now permissible he will get involved in all matters on housing?Anyway not long now for Ealing's Labour Council and friends annual jolly to MPIM, a property conference, and sell off more of our Borough!

Steve Young ● 2105d16 Comments

The problem is not the dishevelled attire of Ealing Socialists but their racism and dishonesty. Race on the Agenda raised the harassment of Black social housing tenants with the new Northolt MP when he was Sadiq Khan's housing tsar and he just ignored them. And the developers of the Friary Park estate, where 230 social housing units are to be demolished to built 990 dogboxes for share ownership through Catalyst Housing Group's unique Equity Loans held no consultation whatsoever. Of course the racist Acton Central Ward Councillor Dan Crawford lied to the 20th November planning committee because he knew Black families will be made homeless as he has ensured they have been excluded from the Locata social housing allocation system. Mr Crawford will soon have all his colleagues joining his Fulham Fc chant "Come on you Whites".

Martin Cain ● 2090d

The major problem of course is that we have no effective local Opposition to challenge, let alone curb BellEnd and The Southall Posse's very dubious antics.The LibDems do their reasonable best, bless 'em, but the Conservatives, WHERE ae they? Damp squibs doesn't even begin to describe their total invisibility on local issues.I mean, Jesus, it's not difficult to topple BellEnd if you go about it the smart way. Heaven knows that you'd have at least 75% of the local electorate behind you?!Time for The Ealing & Acton Party, a coalition of all the local Opposition parties?!Easy Peasy, Job Done, Bell Gone, People HAPPY.    😎

Rosco White ● 2103d

Absolutely right Simon.
The last thing that Northfields needed or needs was yet another subservient apparatchik desirous only to appease the 'Dear Leader'.
Momentum and its "£3 socialists"  is a joke. Attracted by, yet more uncosted, promises of fully-funded student loans and benefits, there was a compelling argument to secure the 'yoof' vote. Fortunately for the country, the £3 socialists did not turn out in adequate numbers to make a jot of difference save that, in some constituencies, the Labour 'yoof' vote was taken as read and simply did not materialise resulting in a stable government for the first time in ten years.
Thanks, Momentum!

N V Brooks ● 2103d

Too simple just to blame student voters.In the last election two Labour candidates were returned in place of Tory incumbents in Northfields. It was a protest vote against Brexit rather than a passionate belief in Julian Bell and his crackpot policies.I was hopeful that these two new Labour councillors, Driscoll and Block, might actually represent us more in the chamber, since the opposition are roundly ignored by the ruling party.Sadly, they’ve proven themselves to be nothing more than rubber stampers of the diktats emanating from Perceval House. Driscoll even ignored the majority locally campaigning to stop the rebrand of Northfields library to the community managed model, ducking out of the scrutiny committee so he wouldn’t have to be seen to vote in favour (and thus not ‘lie’ to the electorate). Indeed, he’s taken the opportunity to create a little power base for himself in the CML by being appointed as a trustee. I don’t see any card carrying Conservatives on that committee, so where’s the balance?

Simon Hayes ● 2103d

"How many students do actually vote?"Heard of Momentum?  😆

Rosco White ● 2103d

How many students do actually vote - particularly in local elections?How has that changed over the years?  Media has changed

Philippa Bond ● 2103d

So students can invariably vote twice at local level, and, paying no Council Tax at either location, also get to dictate what CT payers can & can't do.Brilliant logic, another wonderful, well thought out decision/s from "the powers that be." 😂

Rosco White ● 2104d

Students may not vote more than once in national elections, like a Parliamentary election or European election.  However they "can vote in a local government election at home and at your term-time address, as long as they are in different local government areas."No enforcement necessary.

Phil Kay ● 2104d

Thems might be the rules, but do you really think they're monitored, and effective in stopping students from voting twice? 😉

Rosco White ● 2104d

Students can register in multiple constituencies but can only vote in one of them.

Peter Evans ● 2105d

PS - Aware only 10 Councils listed, no idea where the other two buggered off to.  😁

Rosco White ● 2105d

The thlot plickens.Twelve Exhibitors under "Council" but LBE not listed, are they there under another guise?  😉WIGAN COUNCILOLDHAM COUNCILHARROW COUNCILDESIGN COUNCILENFIELD COUNCILKIRKLEES COUNCILTRAFFORD COUNCILSTOCKPORT COUNCILSOUTHWARK COUNCILHEREFORDSHIRE COUNCILWell, low and behold, they are listed under Exhibiting COMPANIES. Why? 😉SEE: https://www.mipim.com/online-database/companies/?kw=Council&startRecord=1#search=rpp%3D12%26d%3D103134%7C152_219360

Rosco White ● 2105d

"Anyway not long now for Ealing's Labour Council and friends annual jolly to MPIM, a property conference, and sell off more of our Borough!"It's 10 to 13 March. LBE are registered. Stand C15.Curious to know how many other borough councils from the United Kingdom attend this event. And the follow-up question: why?

Paul Cronshaw ● 2105d

VERY widespread, in Labour constituencies I would wager.  😂

Rosco White ● 2105d

There are plenty of people who are holding responsible positions who could easily be classed as idiots.So it's a bit unfair to daub students as idiots. But having students allowed to vote in two places and vote in areas where they are not paying any council tax or residing all year round seems wrong and clearly affects the local governance and those who do live here full time and do pay council tax.Surely students should only be able to vote at their parental home unless they reside full time independently.Our daughter found herself on two electoral registers and was told to do so by an electoral officer. Ended up with two polling cards in two constituencies 56 miles apart.  But she pays no council tax anywhere. She pointed this out but officer was adamant that she had to register at her lodgings even though she was registered here at home.I wonder if this is actually correct and if it is widespread?

Raymond Havelock ● 2105d

Even Labour's MOST ardent supporters have, and are, deserting them in droves re local stuff, it's only the "Beneficiaries" of their weirdo policies that keep them in office.And idiot Students, who pay no Council Tax but are allowed to vote and dictate to Council Taxpayers how we should live.Still, I am heartened that we live in a Democracy.  😂

Rosco White ● 2105d