Forum Topic

'Around Ealing' - Councillor Names and Contact Details Deleted

In the current 'Around Ealing' - 'Schools Special' there are no listings of Councillors names, Wards, email addresses or telephone numbers. The Council's promotional magazine has in in all previous issues (going back years) provided this info - of great use for the 1,000s of rate payers with no internet skills or facility.One can only conclude that the Council doesn't want to make it easy to contact Councillors. It would presumably rather use the pages to contain paid advertisements.

Eric Alan Leach ● 258d17 Comments

Hmmm, it’s informative inasmuch as it tells you what the council wants you to know, rather than the full facts most sentient people would expect to have to reach a conclusion about something. The closure of Perivale golf course and the ensuing ‘new park’ to replace it are a case in point about how things are reported. The lack of an effective local media means politicians get away with an awful lot these days.You are correct about the dangers of online publications. Many people use Wikipedia and that is notorious for being easily hacked and information changed.

Simon Hayes ● 248d

I like to have it on paper as I don't like everything online - AND I've always argued that a lot of people are NOT online.  If I want to look something up I am also quite likely to look it up online if I don't have/no longer have the paper copy to hand. There have been heavy arguments for years about the money being spent on the printing of this informative magazine - and the accusation that it was just propaganda.  It is not always clear which is the greatest reason that concerns each complainant. The problem with the internet has always been that information on it can be changed and that change isn't openly noted.  In other fields of life any changes to documents are openly shown as numbered and dated revisions so that they can be tracked.

Philippa Bond ● 248d

There’s too much reliance on doing everything online, particularly when some websites are simply rubbish, including Ealing Council’s. It’s often difficult to access pages there, or you get thrown off the system or you get no acknowledgment that you’ve completed what you were there to do, such as renewing parking permits.If the council insists on producing a print version of its propaganda magazine then it must ensure that it’s providing all the information residents need. Often in the past they simply omit important changes or forthcoming plans, or give them so little prominence it’s not worth putting them in. They’ve done that with major consultations in the past.A lot of the cost involved in producing Around Ealing is associated with its distribution to households. Obviously they might prefer a solely online version but then they run the risk of even fewer people reading about the marvellous work Peter Mason and co are doing.

Simon Hayes ● 248d

It's not the detail - it's the principle. There's a high turnover of residents in Ealing.Not everyone is online.Every issue of 'Around Ealing' should contain details about how to access Council services.

Eric Alan Leach ● 249d

You're online now and the details are online.  You can even find who has the portfolio for what online. Perhaps they will be in the next magazine.  Does every edition really need to be filled with them?  Surely something that can be torn out and kept for reference?  Since there are a whole lot of people who would rather that the magazine was printed at all I think that is what I'll try and do anyway.

Philippa Bond ● 249d

And yet, you can get the (very) occasional good 'un, like Dan Crawford, (LAB North Acton) who is contactable and actually DOES the job he was elected to do.  👍

Rosco White ● 249d

If I could find an old copy, I would print  contact details.It’s diabolical how unreachable these people are.

Peter Yale ● 249d

Sadly, I think what you say makes sense and is correct.Beyond depressing.Isn't it..........

Rosco White ● 256d

Rosco, much as your suggestion would improve representation it won’t happen here. The vested interests are too well established now for things to change. Independent candidates rarely, if ever, get elected to the council. There are those on this thread who have tried and valiantly failed.Despite the stories and threads posted on this website much of what Ealing council does simply passes the ordinary resident by. Most aren’t bothered about changes until it directly affects them, and only then will they be stung into action. The LTN protests were a case in point, with Julian Bell woefully underestimating local feeling and hugely overestimating his own political nous.The current leader keeps a lower profile but is no less duplicitous. Mason knows the council is a nice little gravy train for him and his chums (Tony Clement’s return is a prime example of that). Mason even had the brass neck to increase councillor allowances after the last local election, despite all the years of austerity we were told about. No indication that those allowances will be reduced now we are told some services are struggling to be met under current budgets.You must always bear in mind that controlling the narrative is the most important thing. Tell the people what you want them to know, or tell them nothing at all. Gurnell. Lammas Park. Ealing Town Hall. Inappropriate tall towers. The list of half truths and outright lies is endless, but of course nobody is responsible for that.

Simon Hayes ● 256d

Whilst there are intelligent and informed Labour voters who vote Ealing Council Labour, and that is of course their prerogative, it's only the strong Idiot Vote of those who don't know their asre from their elbow and know nothing about anything that keeps LBE Labour in power.The LibDems seem to be making an attempted fist at "Opposition" whilst the Conservatives have rolled over and given up years ago.How to address this?I have mentioned my solution SO many times now and will do so yet again:-All the local Residents Associations and Similar band together and field true Party Independent Candidates.Such a system has worked a dream in Epsom & Ewell for 70 years and the Benefits of such are obvious and enormous.LBE Labour are undoubtedly destroying our Borough and MUST be given the boot before they finish the job for good.IMHO.Of course.      😉

Rosco White ● 256d

"Vote for me to represent you" was the mantra for Labour councillors to be re-elected in Walpole Ward. We don't see em and in turn they don't see us. No ward forums. No newsletters. No intercourse. No democracy. And an MP parachuted in without seeking members' votes. Electricity charging points placed in poor locations. Trees not trimmed. Limited access to only one "recycling facility" in an enormous borough and no Council street skips (fly tip instead chaps)No Nuffing. No apology for the failed Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes. No explanation of lack of notification for the Thames Water feature that has taken over Lammmas Park or why they have turned off the water fountains/streams in Walpole Park. I worked out how much money I have paid this council over the years sometimes with a struggle but with interest compounded means a lot of money.Hey and there are many of us. And many of us treated with little or no respect. Councillors and officers must be retrained to understand the word service. Makes me want to cry. So bring back the "corrected" yes corrected contact page (cos some of the emails bounced back)in large print so that even us oldies can read them Oh and compulsory surgeries. Am I a pigs has wings nutter? And a  readers page edited by Eric Leach..perhaps three just to give the council and its officers some balance during their re-education period while on hols in Siberia.

Arthur Breens ● 256d

Correct, they serve "The Party".Great, isn't it.Works well.Doesn't it.        🤣

Rosco White ● 257d

I would imagine the details are removed due to abuse.Not that it is right, but they are so bloody rude & unobtainable.Emails are not responded to & they forget they are meant to be serving the people

Peter Yale ● 257d

Liebore Labour run Ealing Council seem to have all the money in the world to produce a seemingly self-congratulatory "Schools Special" Around Ealing magazine, but with councillors names and contact details deleted.Yet they have proved themselves to be stingy tight a**es when it comes to sending out Planning Notification Letters. Liebore Labour run Ealing Council abolished this in July 2015, in order to save £30, 000 in the Planning Services budget (www.pbctoday.co.uk, December 4, 2015).Producing self-congratulatory propaganda, and being a lackey boy for developers seems to be more important to the Obergruppen Fuhrer of Ealing Council Peter Mason and his side kick, Idi Amin's illegitimate short a**e son, who is in charge of good growth and new housing, than keeping the People informed. This includes keeping the People informed of any potential new developments that could occur next door to them by potentially possesive predatory developers.In my own past experience, having received a Planning Notification Letter was important and critical in opposing a self aggrandising neighbour, with their planning application. Why do Liebore Labour run Ealing Council have money to produce seemingly self congratulatory gibberish, in this case a "Schools Special" of Around Ealing, but not have money to send out necessary information in the form of Planning Notification Letters to people who could need it to fight potentially possessive predatory developers?

Anthony Hawran ● 258d

Liebore Labout run Ealing Council seem to have all the money in the world to produce a seemingly self-congratulatory "Schools Special" Around Ealing magazine.Yet they have proved themselves to be stingy tight a**es when it comes to sending out Planning Notification Letters. Liebore Labour run Ealing Council abolished this in July 2015, in order to save £30, 000 in the Planning Services budget (www.pbctoday.co.uk, December 4, 2015). Producing self-congratulatory propaganda, and being a lackey boy for developers seems to be more important to the Obergruppen Fuhrer of Ealing Council Peter Mason and his side kick, Idi Amin's illegitimate short arse son, who is in charge of good growth and new housing, than keeping the People informed. This includes keeping the People informed of any potential new developments that could occur next door to them by potentially possesive predatory developers. In my own past experience, having received a Planning Notification Letter was important and critical in opposing a self aggrandising neighbour, with their planning application. Why do Liebore Labour run Ealing Council have money to produce seemingly self congratulatory gibberish, in this case a Schools Special of Around Ealing, but not have money to send out necessary information in the form of Planning Notification Letters to people who could need it to fight predatory developers?

Anthony Hawran ● 258d

It happened before a few years ago and after some complaints from residents the information was reinstated. I suspect the omission in the latest edition of the propaganda sheet was because it was a ‘school special’ and didn’t carry much information beyond the education remit.What would be interesting would be to know if the magazine is now self-funding. Four or five years ago it was subsidised to the tune of around £100,000 a year by taxpayers. Nice bit of essential spending during those years of austerity.

Simon Hayes ● 258d

"One can only conclude that the Council doesn't want to make it easy to contact Councillors."Yes.

Rosco White ● 258d