Forum Topic

Around Ealing 4 times a year up to 10 times per year.

http://www2.ealing.gov.uk/ealing3/export/sites/ealingweb/services/council/committees/agendas_minutes_reports/individual_cabinet_member_decisions/24may2011-15may2012/_29_nov_2011/Item_5_Around_Ealing_publication_frequency_Report.docThis is one of those classic documents which our Council Officers write. It tells you the cost of increasing this publication to 10 times a year (£242K), but it does not tell you what the existing costs are for 4 publications a year which we have been getting in 2011.The author is the Communications Director and the apparent sole Decision maker is no less than a certain J Bell.

George Knox ● 5220d16 Comments

No it is not a cult.  It is a responsibility.Your Waste = Your Responsibility.Less Rubbish In = Less Rubbish Out.Since we do pay tax for this it would seem logical that we get the most for our money - which means making the most of the good recycling services that the Council amongst others provides.  Unsorted waste costs more for the Council to dispose of and not reaching particular targets leaves us vulnerable to fines which will no doubt will be passed on one way or another. I would prefer my tax to go on other services.Yes, it is a welcome return to the notice through the door which had been missing for quite a long while.The current Council has made quite a saving (or certainly should have)by joining several services together.  Unfortunately in my view they didn't leave their changes there.

Philippa Bond ● 5212d

Since you have just mentioned lots of the other things that the Council is responsible for you probably get the usual first response!How do we make sure that everyone who pays Council Tax thinks about ALL the things that this tax pays for?

Philippa Bond ● 5212d

On further reflection and ss an apolitical beast I have had time to reflect on the good things as well as the bad things that the present administration have done in the past couple of years and so have ammended my post to reflect this as follows:I am almost embarassed to point out that while the present administration is deciding to spend a quarter of a million pounds more on a publication that is largely ignored by Ealing's residents it has:i) Closed down Ealing's only day centre for the disabled.ii) Closed down Ealing's only day centre for the mentally ill.iii) Tried to close down most of Ealing's libraries.iv) Is intending to close four respite care beds.All of this in the interests of economy.In the meantime it has:a) Bought a building on Bond Street as part of a cinema complex.b) Refurbished the old town hall.c) Bought a disused petrol station in Park Royal to "create a better interchange experience for commuters!".d) Opened a small car park in Southall.e) Opened a skateboard park.d) Given a hundred thousand pounds to a boxing club!Meanwhile, thousands of employees of Ealing Council are being made redundant without a single senior manager or executive board member being made redundant.While this is a very strange balance of priorities I would add the following good actions that have improved the quality of life in this borough:1) Reduction in the rubbish police (envirocrime officers) which was escalating petty neighbourhood wars to lifethreatening conflictgs.2) Reduction in the ranger service which was doing little to keep Ealing's parks in order and was doing nothing to "tame" the more aggressive elements of the cycling community in their misuse of parks.3) The migration of the Number 65 bus bus-stop back to Bond Street (a very popular and sensible move) from outside the church on the Uxbridge road (a direct reversal of the previous (Conservative) administration's migraiton of said bus stop from Bond Street a few years ago to outside the church on Uxbridge Road.4) The prgrammed withdrawal of the subsidy of the operation of Ealing's allotments leading to real land rents that reflect the cost of running them.5) The reduction in subsidy of the Ealing Festival from council tax revenues and the more realistic pricing of these tickets to reflect operating costs as well as a realisation that the council is nmot there to provide subsidised entertainment.Will.

William J Malmet ● 5213d

As an apolitical beast I have had time to reflect on the good things as well as the bad things that the present administration have done in the past couple of years and so have ammended my post as follows:I am almost embarassed to point out that while the present administration is deciding to spend a quarter of a million pounds more on a publication that is largely ignored by Ealing's residents it has:i) Closed down Ealing's only day centre for the disabled.ii) Closed down Ealing's only day centre for the mentally ill.iii) Tried to close down most of Ealing's libraries.iv) Is intending to close four respite care beds.All of this in the interests of economy.In the meantime it has:a) Bought a building on Bond Street as part of a cinema complex.b) Refurbished the old town hall.c) Bought a disused petrol station in Park Royal to "create a better interchange experience for commuters!".d) Opened a small car park in Southall.e) Opened a skateboard park.d) Given a hundred thousand pounds to a boxing club!Meanwhile, thousands of employees of Ealing Council are being made redundant without a single senior manager or executive board member being made redundant.While this is a very strange balance of priorities I would add the following good actions that have improved the quality of life in this borough:1) Reduction in the rubbish police (envirocrime officers) which was escalating petty neighbourhood wars to lifethreatening conflictgs.2) Reduction in the ranger service which was doing little to keep Ealing's parks in order and was doing nothing to "tame" the more aggressive elements of the cycling community in their misuse of parks.3) The migration of the Number 65 bus bus-stop back to Bond Street (a very popular and sensible move) from outside the church on the Uxbridge road (a direct reversal of the previous (Conservative) administration's migraiton of said bus stop from Bond Street a few years ago to outside the church on Uxbridge Road. Will.

William J Malmet ● 5213d

I am almost embarassed to point out that while the present administration is deciding to spend a quarter of a million pounds more on a publication that is largely ignored by Ealing's residents it has:i) Closed down Ealing's only day centre for the disabled.ii) Closed down Ealing's only day centre for the mentally ill.iii) Tried to close down most of Ealing's libraries.iv) Is intending to close four respite care beds.All of this in the interests of economy.In the meantime it has:a) Bought a building on Bond Street as part of a cinema complex.b) Refurbished the old town hall.c) Bought a disused petrol station in Park Royal to "create a better interchange experience for commuters!".d) Opened a small car park in Southall.e) Opened a skateboard park.d) Given a hundred thousand pounds to a boxing club!Meanwhile, thousands of employees of Ealing Council are being made redundant without a single senior manager or executive board member being made redundant.A very strange balance of priorities.Will.

William J Malmet ● 5215d

I think there are some fair points being made and Phillipa knows quite a bit about these things. Whether I agree or not is another matter.The question has become "What is the most effective way for the public to be informed of what the council does?" For me I just feel that it must also be cost effective. being seen as or being actual propaganda. is an interesting point. it would be interesting what any councillors could add on this subject. but increasing budgets at a time like this is definately not!!!

Peter Chadburn ● 5217d

A leaflet came through the door about refuse collection over the Christmas period.I don't want to sound rude, but you seem a bit obsessed with recycling and putting the rubbish out.  Is it a cult?

Claire Burton ● 5217d

Being propaganda and being seen as propaganda are two different things.  It is unfortunate that party politics has taken over local Councils.  How many independent Councillors are there?  Are there any?I understand the rules have been changed as to what can be put in the magazines now.I certainly remember a period where no information seemed to come out of the Council at all.I don't hear as much criticism of Council websites.The foreward by the Leader of the Council might be something that would be good to lose politically.They also have to be very careful around election time.I remember reading a paper which came through the door and being irritated at how biased it was and then realising that it was from the Mayor's office.  That was when Ken Livingstone was Mayor and it was something that was extremely and I mean extremely anti-car.Shouldn't the Council be paying for websites like this particular one publishing their info eg Christmas Recycling and Waste collections?

Philippa Bond ● 5217d

Phillipathe difficulty is that it is seen as propoganda which is true. we must have something that informs and does it accurately!!

Peter Chadburn ● 5218d

The free Ealing Leader no longer exists or is certainly not distributed in paper form any more and the Ealing Gazette I have received free just the once.  I have bought the Ealing Gazette many times but you cannot expect to communicate only through a local paper which has to be bought.There needs to be regular distribution.  As I understand it some Councils send out weekly and others fortnightly papers - although since the report fails to mention any - it would be interesting to know more.Four a year does not seem very many.  Doesn't 10 take us back to where we were before?  What about six?There seems to be no mention of email mailouts.  Whatever you do you cannot make people read it but I certainly don't think you can rely on people thinking another edition is due and wanting to download their own copy unless they are expecting something in particular they are interested in - so that is not the answer.It would probably cost more working out who was getting one online and who wasn't than delivering to everybody.

Philippa Bond ● 5218d

Good Point Phillipa, but going from 4 editions up to 10 is waste!! the council needs to find ways of cutting costs so transfer the budget to getting stuff printed in the leader may be more effective.

Peter Chadburn ● 5218d

How exactly do you suggest that the Council advertises any of its activities - especially since so many people insist on sticking their heads in the sand?There are people living here in bubbles who aren't even aware that they are living in Ealing.Please don't just rubbish something unless you have something positive to put in its place.I am sure that this is more effective than bits of printed paper stuck through the letter-box or indeed individually addressed letters which just get tossed aside into an every growing pile of things we're not quite sure what to do about.The fact that this is a magazine and has pictures eg bins when the information is about bins makes a lot of difference to getting messages across.  Once again though the emphasis IS going to be on the waste collection both residual waste which there is a tender out for now and the current domestic collections.  I wish they had just left this successful recycling system alone apart from amalgamating the two contracts.  Other boroughs have given their residents the chance to vote on whether recycling should be compulsory.  It is time someone stood up to and dealt with the people who do sweet FA with regards to separating their waste and whose neighbours as a consequence have to step through their rubbish all over the street until it is swept up.I like the way that the magazine shows that the Council has responsibility for lots of other areas and we pay Council Tax for those and not just the blasted bin collections.

Philippa Bond ● 5218d

But when the Tories get in they also use Pravda for their own reasons. Politicians need some realism. Cut the crap and not the services.

Peter Chadburn ● 5218d

....do they never learn? Little wonder a Labour administration somehow manages to shoot itself in the foot every time it's in power. Politics or just plain incompetence. Either way, hardly builds confidence in the administrations abilities to run things efficiently.

Michael Brandt ● 5219d

I think I will post it back to the council every time I receive it - return to sender and no stamp.

Penny Crocker ● 5220d

Yes as other cuts are being made pravda should be consigned to the dustbin!!

Peter Chadburn ● 5220d