Ealing Council’s cabinet will consider proposals for major new investments, including local transport projects, when it meets next week as the council looks to rapidly deliver key elements of the new administration’s plans.

Local people voted overwhelmingly to return a Labour administration at the local elections on Thursday, 5 May, and an updated council plan is now being developed reflecting the new administration’s manifesto.

Councillor Peter Mason, leader of Ealing Council, said: “I am delighted that Ealing Labour have been re-elected to serve a historic fourth term, and humbled that I will be continuing to lead the administration.

“Working with residents and communities across our seven towns, we want to continue building an open, transparent, and inclusive council and start work immediately on what we know are your priorities as well as what you have told us needs to change for the better.

“Our three main priorities remain the same: creating good jobs, fighting inequality, and tackling the climate crisis. On Wednesday, our cabinet will be asked to set aside a package of £23 million in cash terms over four years to start immediate delivery on a range of important local projects. Many of these projects and commitments have emerged through our engagement with residents across Ealing carried out over the last few years.”

The investments include:

• Increasing pay rates for homecare workers as part of a staged and affordable plan to achieve London Living Wage compliance.
• Planting an extra 50,000 trees, doubling the number planted each year and increasing the proportion of the borough covered by tree canopy to 25%.
• Supporting green and active travel by increasing the number of bike hangers to at least 150, reducing the cost of a bike hanger permit to no more than one sixth of the cost of an equivalent car parking permit, increasing the number of electric charging points to at least 2,000, and helping even more schools to establish school streets programmes to reach the council’s target of 50.
• Delivering on our Ealing Race Equality Commission promises by establishing a civic leadership development programme for underrepresented communities and deliver our schools action plan to reduce the disproportionate exclusions from schools of Black Caribbean children and young people.
• Making public spaces safer for our residents including women and girls by improving street lighting, and making this lighting greener and cheaper for council tax-payers by investing now in energy efficient technology.
• Delivering an inclusive Platinum Jubilee programme, including Big Lunch, Proms in the Park, beacon lighting, and grants for nearly 150 street parties across the borough.

The full cabinet report is available on the council’s website.

Speaking to the residents of Ealing, Mr Mason continued: “This is just the start. In the weeks and months ahead, we are going to set out how we will deliver each and every one of the pledges we have made to you over the next four years.

“Some of the ones we have set out, like the ones we’ve announced today we know we can get on with straight away. Others will require us to work together, in a new relationship with you. Where we work with you, so we understand what you think is best for you, where we understand and act to find new ways to serve your needs better. Where we build a good, vibrant, and rich community, where each and every one of us can feel proud to call our home.

“We did it during the pandemic, we’re going to do it during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and we’ll do it again as we build a successful and prosperous borough in the years ahead.”