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Cllr Julian Bell: Labour choose NOT to protect the most vulnerable

In a piece in the Ealing Gazette which frankly beggars the mind in terms of lack of objectivity and facts Conservative Council Leader Julian Bell presents a view that flies in the face of truth. How can he say these things and how can the Ealing Gazette print them?Bearing in mind the fact that he and his cronies have closed down a) the Albert Dane day centre for the disabled, b) closed down the LINKS project and day centre for the mentally ill, c) downgraded social services provision for the disabled people, d) attempted to halve the taxi card swipe provision for the disabled, and e) are planning to close a number of librares, how on earth can he claim that: "This Labour Council chooses to protect those with both ‘substantive’ and ‘critical’ care needs."He goes on to say: "We are trying to protect front line services and in the latest round of savings targets we have asked the corporate support services to take a bigger percentage hit (8.3% pa) than the childrens and adults services (3.5% pa) to the most vulnerable." which is a pretty amazing piece of cod accounting considering that not one of the top 89 earning staff employed as officers of Ealing Council feature in the 8.3% cut in corporate services.Does he think that we are honestly that stupid, especially as he plans to blow £5 million pounds on a car park in Southall.Looks to me that the need for a new Editor for the Ealing Gazette has moved from important to very urgent!

Marc Races ● 5418d7 Comments

Very good point Eric. It is the continuity of a seemingly unacountable elite that is an issue. protection of their own feifdom is all important. so twist the new politicians, but the politicians must take real responsability. decide the policy take action.

Peter Chadburn ● 5418d

I think it's highly posssible to confuse Conservative and Labour administrations. The former tried to bribe us all whilst the latter only tried to bribe Southall residents.One should reflect on the common factor during both administrations and it is the senior Council Officers themselves - most of them are unchanged for over six years.If you look at planning policy since 2009 it's completely unchanged since Labour took over. The 15 year plans for Ealing are the same now as they were in 2009 - so the change in political administration has made no difference at all.

Eric Alan Leach ● 5418d

My apologies. I meant Labour Leader of Ealing Council. I wonder why I typed Conservative instead. A Freudian slip perhaps? Or it may be because we vote another party in instead of one that we perceive as performing poorly rather than on the merits of its manifesto and its actions. I do wince when considering both Labour and Conservatives in this borough. Undoubtably well meaning overall, however somewhat out of touch with what is actually happening and with some strange hangups: building unnecessary car parks (Labour) and obsessive control in the form of marauding nocturnal selective envirocrime officers with councillors (Conservatives), and both seemingly incapable of keeping Ealing's allotments in a good order.

Moira Bourne ● 5418d

Local press has become tamer for fear of losing lucrative advertising revenue. however also journalism generally is very poor. lazy journos are an issue. julian bell is very selective and is a disgrace to the principles that caused many to support the labour movement over the last 100 years or so. car parks before day centres is the simple equation. let someone justify that question. the last labour administration would never have had that priority and i am sure the tories would not have been that stupid. in plain english deranged would be the word.

Peter Chadburn ● 5418d

MarkThere is only one thing to disagree with you here and that is that Cllr Bell is not the Conservative leader of the council, he is the Labour leader of the council. Everything else is spot on

Colm Costello ● 5418d

Does anyone actually still read the Ealing Gazette?More to the point, do you mean that someone actually edits it?If this site suppoted emoticons I would insert a :shocked: one.

Nigel Brooks ● 5418d

i have read the piece you mention marc and i think that if you put the word not in front of everything councillor bell says it presents a pretty accurate picture what the ealing labour party has done. strange that he doesnt mention the library closures or the southall car park as evidence to support his claim of protecting the most vulnerable ha ha!

Moira Bourne ● 5418d