Police need to continue to bond with teens and other community groups

Over the past number of years, the Met have had flash points with different groups, some of which have led to issues in how they are perceived negatively by residents in London.

Locally, in Chiswick, the police have been and are continuing to take a more proactive approach which is welcoming to see.

The Liberal Democrats know that if the police are to be trusted they need to not just stop crimes from happening, catch criminals but socialise with people from all backgrounds in life. If they are seen out and about where people meet then it is likely that people will trust them or speak to them if they have concerns.

At a meeting recently where the police were present they talked about initiatives where the local police team would drop in (to a drop ins) where lots of teenagers socialise. Just being present meant people saw the police as people having fun, playing table tennis and ready, if needed, to answer questions if anyone had matters they wanted to discuss.

At other times, the Southfield ward Forum, run by the Liberal Democrats in Southfield, have members of the local police team to update residents on crime in the area and what they have been doing to deal with and reduce crime. Their presence has allowed many residents a chance to ask questions of their local police team.

Southfield has a lower crime than neighbouring areas. Whilst crime is rising generally, in Southfield it is falling. Part of this is that we have a strong culture of local volunteering:

· The Police and residents monitoring speeding traffic ensuring that drivers speeding get warned to reduce the chance of future incidents of speeding.

· Southfield has a great set of neighbourhood watch volunteers who make use of information about local crime from the police to inform residents, so they can reduce the chances they become a victim of crime.

· We are luck to have an effective group to monitor the police’s actions and when feedback is given the police change some of their activities to help address information issues in Southfield. Being a part of the group shows how crucial it is for residents to support the police.

Myself and the other Southfield Liberal Democrat Councillors thank active members of the public and the police, for being proactive, working together to reduce crime.

Council causing harm with its decision making process

Liberal Democrats say that Ealing Council keeps on following the same process which is causing great harm and distress for many carers and users.

Their process has been to rush through to make quick decisions despite carers and users having lots of valid complaints and questions, only to see the decisions are the wrong ones, then the Council has to make U-turn after U-turn.

In some cases, pride has led them not to reverse a bad decision but plough on with a successful outcome not being achieved. This was the case with Chiswick’s Carlton Road Day Centre which had happily provided severely disabled users with a great careering service.

Then the Council chopped it, forcing users to find alternative arrangements, some paying much more for a worse level of care. What is also gutting for residents is that the site has not been used. They should have kept the centre open longer or had proper, acceptable plans for the site.

Other controversial and more recent decisions were to close the Solace Day Centre which provides a much needed mental health care facility. After a huge campaign, the Council agreed to look at the plans again and then found the money to save the well-loved service.

Heller House – although not in Chiswick - is a residential children's home which provides a short break for the young as well as parents and carers. The Council rushed to close the centre despite a huge borough wide petition.

Then last week agreed to create a new replacement respite centre for up to 12 users at one time. Again Ealing Council initially ignored carers views, who said there was a real need for an in-borough respite service, before making the U-turn.

This shows that Ealing Council is failing residents and users by not thinking through its plans fully. They have caused much distress in the process.

Ealing Council needs to listen to residents

In recent times Ealing Council has a reputation for closing vital services like day centres for the mentally ill, elderly residents and those who are severely disabled.

On top of this, Labour-run Ealing Council, has a record of allowing large developments to be built when the borough is left with not enough social or affordable housing to be built. Many have said that converting the Town Hall into a hotel is selling off the family silver like reducing the size of the main library in Ealing.

Liberal Democrats believe that to improve an area you need to consult, inform and listen to residents.

Ealing Council has a poor record of enabling residents to give their views and ensure that they actually can change a plan for the better. Liberal Democrats know that unless you actively involve residents the outcome will not be as good.

In a scheme in Acton and Chiswick listening to suggestion from residents meant that a large park is more accessible, safer and used by a greater range of residents to keep fit.

When Labour-run Ealing Council decided to force wheelie bins on us, the possibility of the dirtier streets became a reality.

Whilst on a Council committee that discussed planning matters we heard stories of where people’s views were not listened to, were ignored and information was not available when it should have been. The Council takes too long to answer the phones or emails and often people say that when issues are reported nothing happens. People are left with no faith in Ealing Council and so do not always report problems.

As vice chair of a committee on the Council’s digital approach and its website, I am looking to hear Ealing residents’ views on what they think of the Council’s website. What works and what does not? What services should the Council and its website offer? How should Ealing Council serve residents who are not experienced with using IT?


Please email me at gary.malcolm@ealing.gov.uk

Ealing Council needs to support its most vulnerable

Over the past couple of years Ealing Council has made a number of decisions which have or will harm some of our most vulnerable residents.

Although Ealing Council has been given less money by the government in the past few years it still has control over hundreds of millions of pounds. So, Ealing Council can still make choices to protect both our front line services and those that are used by the disabled, those who are ill, the elderly and others in need.

Gary Malcolm being handed a
Council Tax Support petition 

Initially there were closures of a number of key day centres affecting many elderly users. Ealing Council tried to close the Solace Centre that helps users with mental health issues. Luckily for the users, the Council made a rare U-turn when a large borough wide campaign was set up to save the Solace Centre. The Liberal Democrats help to support the Solace Centre.

However at the same time the Carlton Road Day Centre was closed. The Day Centre was used by profoundly disabled and those users had to find alternative help which will either cost more, provide a lesser quality service or both. Shame on Labour for closing this day centre.

The latest problem that Labour-run Ealing Council is causing some residents is when they again reduced the Council Tax Support payments. Council Tax Support is a discount that helps people on low income to pay their council tax. The amount of support you get will depend on your circumstances and how much council tax you pay.

Currently there are about 26,000 claimants, and figures show that over 5000 claimants are in arrears already and over 3000 residents have summons against their name.

So Ealing Council know that these individuals are in financial difficulties but they are to not only make it worse for them, but also add many more residents who will need to pay. Not only is this mean and vicious but asking for additional money from someone who cannot pay is likely to yield little compared to what they anticipate the changes will bring.

But it gets worse than: Ealing Council will now be able to reduce the discount by another 5% in April 2017.

The Liberal Democrats in Ealing have been fighting to protect the services that the most needy in Ealing require, to have a satisfactory life. It is wrong of Labour-run Ealing Council to make these cuts which will leave the most deprived residents even deeper into poverty.

I thank the London based organisation Z2K, who supports vulnerable benefit claimants. They produced two joint reports with the Child Poverty Action Group which examined the impact of localised Council Tax Support in London. Their findings are stark and claimants in Ealing will become much more vulnerable in the future.

Hardship will become more common. This is a stain on Ealing Council’s reputation and a ‘kick in the teeth’ to some of our most vulnerable residents.

I had hoped that 2016 would have begun with better news, but sadly not.

Liberal Democrats will treat vulnerable residents as a priority

In the run up to the local and European elections many residents in our seven town centres will be making the decision as to how they might vote.

The coalition government with Vince Cable’s assistance has turned around the economy with not only growth, lower levels of inflation and importantly more jobs.

Councillor Gary Malcolm

Locally while more people are gaining employment we see the current Labour administration continue to fail in a number of areas:

• Closing day centres which means that many profoundly disabled or other vulnerable residents will suffer
• Over the past few years it was reported that Ealing Council has fined residents £24 million in parking fines. Many residents contact me to say they were fined and when I investigate the cases I often find that they should not have received a parking ticket.
• Too many people are kept waiting to get through on the phone as well as being forced to use the internet for many services when some elderly residents do not have a computer
• Allowing our streets and parks to be un-swept and dirty. The recent re-negotiation means that the contractor gets the same money for doing less!

The Ealing Liberal Democrats have been active in making sure that we promise only what we can deliver. The Conservative party promise the earth and often do not follow through with positive actions.

One example was where the Conservative party in Ealing have twice refused to sign up to measures that would reduce the number of deaths for cyclists. Liberal Democrats want to see our streets safer for all users. Sadly this does not appear to be true for the Conservatives who will allow dangerous trucks to be on our roads.

Alongside the backdrop of the elections is the need to continue the campaign to protect our hospitals that residents across the borough use. Having saved the Accident & Emergency wards in Charing Cross and Ealing hospitals we need to carry on the fight.

So the Labour party have failed in Ealing. What would my party, the Liberal Democrats do? We have our published manifesto but a summary is listed here:

• Freeze Council Tax for the next four years
• Invest more in our roads and pavements
• Remove the garden tax and improve recycling facilities
• Sell the Southall car park to fund vital projects
• Protect our day centres
• Get our streets and parks clean, free from uncollected waste
• Make the Council easier to contact

Ealing Council has been selling off our day centres, left our streets and park s dirty and charged for collecting our garden waste. The Liberal Democrats will be tough as nails, with contractors who are providing a poor service and we will freeze Council Tax for the next four years to give some stability to residents' finances.

We are the only party who treat our vulnerable residents with a priority.

Only the Liberal Democrats would sort the waste contractor out and only a Liberal Democrat Council would be cleaner, safer and fairer.

With Christmas approaching how you can avoid being the victim of crime

Over the Christmas period it will be a great time for many residents and their children, when they open their presents.

But this is also a time when many criminals plan how to relieve us of some of our new belongings.
Liberal Democrats know that there will be many vulnerable residents who might not be visited as often over the festive period.

So if you know of someone who might be vulnerable give them a knock over Christmas to check they are okay. December is a time when a lot of boilers break down so better to be safe and sorry.

Over this period I also like to practice my baking and cooking and drop by some food based Christmas presents – including scones, biscuits and fruit breads.

Liaising with the local police over the past ten years or so, I have learned a lot of what I call “Top tips” in reducing being a victim of crime over the New Year period.

• In the run up to Christmas make sure you do not leave any bills or banking documents in your waste. Shred them so criminals are less able to commit identity theft.
• When you have unwrapped valuable items like plasma TVs remember not to leave the box easily visible to those walking by. It will highlight you have some items that a criminal could break in and steal.
• If you have cash which you are to take with you to pay for Christmas presents, ensure it is in a safe or out of reach of anyone peering in through your windows or letter box.
• When you leave your vehicle ensure you have not left any items in the car. This is because a jumper on the back seat may encourage a villain to break in and will cause you hassle even if they do not steal the jumper.
• Recently a lot of people are reporting callers allegedly collecting for charities. If you are unsure then do not open the door and ask they to leave a leaflet so you can research the charity later.
• Lastly if you are shopping in the January sales then make sure your bag or handbags are zipped shut. Anyone in a busy clothes shop could be walking around to steal a purse or wallet, and is not interested in clothing.

I hope all of us in Ealing are going to have a fun and safe festive period, away from work and spending time with family and friends. If you have any crime tips please let me know them by emailing me at gary.malcolm@ealing.gov.uk