When Ealing Council could not provide satisfactory care to my mum and, in fact, they insisted in wanting to deport a lonely 90 years old woman back to Italy, the European Commission in London and all other offices DID NOTHING to help me or her. Hence, what is the point for UK to stay in the EU? The EU on this occasion, and many others, failed to assist a European citizen. My mum died two years later and the EU sent to me their condolences.

Ealing Council is now “providing care” to my 85 years old neighbour. Two years later nothing has changed. My neighbour is not happy with the care received from women that wear a burka, don’t speak her language or English, don’t understand her needs, don’t respect her culture and that simply refuse to touch the food she likes because it is not halal or because it is pork (ham, for example).

Two wrongs don’t make a right and while there are some instances where Brexit could be a good idea, I doubt that Councils will improve even under UK governing its own Country.

The new wheelie bins have been rolled out throughout the borough and Ealing’s Councillors say they have been inundated with a variety of complaints. Residents haven’t received any bins, others have been left with the wrong size and some in flats have been given too many.

The problems are thought to have been aggravated with the bank holiday – collection wasn’t a day later as usual to facilitate the switchover, but many people didn’t realise and rubbish was left out.

Conservative group leader and Hanger Hill representative, Councillor Gregory Stafford, says: ” As expected the introduction of the Labour Council’s unwanted wheelie bins has been a shambles. Over a thousand bins have been wrongly delivered or not delivered at all and complaints are rising.”

Northfield ward Conservative Councillor, David Millican, says he has had scores of angry people contacting him: ” Many have called the bins “monstrosities” saying they did not realise the bins were so large.  Others said the bin will fill up their front gardens. I spoke with one elderly lady who was almost in tears as she would have to dig up plants in her front garden to make way for the bins. Most people phone the council and just want to talk to somebody but can’t.

Liberal Democrat Councillor, Gary Malcolm, has described it as a fiasco and says: “Heads must roll. The politician in charge needs to resign. At last count 122 people have contacted me to complain about the new wheelie bins. They are too big, they delivered the wrong type, many people do not have room for the wheelie bins and some (including myself) have seen their household and recyclables left uncollected for at least two weeks. There were reports today of sets of bins not being able to be closed properly which means foxes will get inside them. Labour-run Ealing Council should apologise to all residents for their failures.”

In the meantime….      

A&E children’s services and children’s in-patient services will close at Ealing Hospital from 30 June.
After this date, ambulances would take children to five other hospitals in north west London: West Middlesex; Hillingdon; Northwick Park; Chelsea and Westminster and St Mary’s.
Urgent but non-life threatening cases for children and adults would continue to be dealt with at Ealing urgent care centre.
Ealing Council has been opposed to the closure since it was proposed in 2012 and said it was a “flawed decision”.
The NHS said the move was part of a broader review of services across north west London and would help to improve children’s care in the region. [definition of word – improve – please]?

No noisy work on Sundays or Bank Holidays

The above are the general guidelines set by Gov.Uk in collaboration with local Councils. So why is Ealing Council operating wheelie bins collection on Bank Holidays?

• Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said the council did extensive research but did not formally consult residents because the change was essential in achieving a recycling rate of 50% of household waste by 2018.

Currently it stands at 45%, short of the 50% promised in the council’s manifesto, and he added there will be a chance for residents to request smaller bins.

[This is a 2005 Act – Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 – what have London Councils done in 11 years??]

Councillor Mahfouz said: “Wheelie bins will make it easier for people to recycle more meaning less waste will be sent to landfill, and they will also keep our streets cleaner by cutting down on the number of black bags ripped open by foxes.

[The problem are NOT the foxes but lazy and somewhat stupid residents that don’t care and don’t know how and when to dispose of rubbish]

“And because wheelie bins will be collected on alternate weeks, residents will see fewer trucks on the road, meaning less pollution and congestion on local streets.”

[A study carried out by environment and energy authority as given newspapers the following headlines: “Nearly 9,500 people die each year in London because of air pollution”. Congestion and pollution is caused by Local authorities that care more in making money (milking motorists) by closing roads thna actually doing something pro-active to get traffic moving]

Wheelie bins have now been delivered throughout the Borough. This is despite some 7,000 people signed a petition against the changes. The majority of residents don’t want them – they are ugly, noisy and take away a lot of space. As per Ealing Housing and Road policies, this is yet another waste of public money. The company making the bins is laughing all the way to the bank.

[November 26th 2015]  EalingToday.co.uk

Conservative Councillors in Northfields are warning residents that they may have to alter their properties to accommodate wheelie bins which are to be introduced borough wide next year.

In their local leaflet ‘intouch’ they say council officers told them that it was the responsibility of residents to ensure they can store the bins – even if that means knocking down walls or removing shrubs and trees.

The information came after Councillors Millican, Mullins and Conti went on a walkabout with the officers and visited various roads including Belsize Ave, near Northfields Station. There they saw houses that would not be able to accommodate the wheelie bins without adapting their front gardens, unless the wheelie bins were left directly in front of the front doors.

Officers also apparently confirmed that legal action could be taken if the bins were left on the pavement.

The news will cause anger – this year 7,000 people signed a petition against the changes.

In Brentford the recent introduction of the new collection service has led to protests outside the Council Leader’s house.

Ealing Council plan to introduce the alternate collections and wheelie bins in late Spring and are currently assessing properties which are not suitable for a wheelie bin and say they will provide the same service offered to homes on red routes.

They say if any waste (contained or otherwise) is left unauthorised on the pavement, action can be taken. However they claim that they want to ‘ work closely with residents before, during and after service roll out to prevent any need for this’. Residents can store wheelie bins in their front gardens if they wish to.

An Ealing Council spokesperson added:

”Wheelie bin collections have been successfully introduced in many parts of London, making it easier to recycle. We have carried out a survey of all homes in the borough and the majority of homes will be able to store wheelie bins. We will be writing to people early next year to let them know what their collection service will be and help will be at hand for people who need further advice.”

Housing policies at Ealing Council seem to go up and down like a roller coaster. They find it easy to spend (invest) money but their policy implementation is only clear to them. It seems that what they “believe” is known to some and unknown to others within the Council.

1. Number of empty homes in Ealing more than triples in ONE year – According to the Trinity Mirror Data Unit, 753 homes were empty for more than six months in the year up to October 2015 [18 JAN 2016]
2. Scandal of 7,500 council homes lying empty in London [25 May 2016] – with Ealing big top of the list
3. [Wednesday 19th March 2014] – Ealing Council has unveiled the latest homes to be built as part of its ambitious £22.7 million housing programme. The London borough is aiming to build more than 300 homes for social rent, intermediate rent, market rent and shared ownership by 2016 to take the pressure of its housing waiting list.
4. Ealing Council believes building Starter Homes through its housing company could make it easier to achieve the two-for-one replacement of affordable homes sold to fund the Right to Buy extension, as required in London under the Housing and Planning Bill. This is because the council would receive an upfront capital receipt. [10 May 2016]

Robert Cialdini, Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University, published his book “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” in 1984.

One of his six Principles of Influence is known as: Reciprocity.

As humans, we generally aim to return favours and treat others as they treat us. According to the idea of reciprocity, this can lead us to feel obliged to offer concessions or discounts to others if they have offered them to us. This is because (applies to most) we’re uncomfortable with feeling indebted to them.

From 21 years I lived in the Borough of Richmond and Dr. Vince Cable was my local MP. For many different reasons I can assert that Dr. Cable is a great man and one of integrity.

“A great man is different from an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of the society [B. R. Ambedkar]”; an interesting quote from this Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer.

The opposite of great man and one of integrity can be said about Mr. V. Sharma MP (Labour) and Mr. Jon Ball (Liberal Democrats) councillor.  Two individuals that see a career in politics as a mean to facilitate own personal objectives while achieve little and delude most of the constituents.

Mr. Sharma has been re-elected in Southall but that this is of no surprise to an area which is prevailing non-white.

I have had the pleasure to meet Mr. Pound and, admittedly, even if directly he is not my MP, I must state that he, at least, has replied to my emails and letters in the past (when I sought assistance). Probably 26’000 well deserved votes.

The distribution of votes for the Ealing Central and Acton Parliamentary area looked more diverse than the other two areas with a considerable amount of residents voting for Conservatives. In fact, here, Labour has won only by 274 votes.

I do not follow one singular party although, admittedly, I have my own personal preference between right and left. With a certain respect for Vince Cable, I have voted for the Liberal Democrats and supported them on many occasions. However, having considered the no commitment from Mr. Jon Ball (and also other Liberal Democrats councillors in Ealing), to help and resolve any local issues, on this occasion I didn’t back any of the Liberal Democrats.

As a matter of fact, in the Borough of Ealing the Green Party received 5’483 votes, UKIP came top with 7’617 and the Liberal Democrats became second with 6’231 votes.

On Facebook there is a group called Sad-Ealing. Many posts on other Facebook Pages and other internet sites generally show discontent on how Ealing Council (please allow me to add Hounslow Borough – Labour too) are “serving” the Borough (and they have been doing so for a while). Discontent includes national health (including one of the worse hospital in the Country – Ealing Hospital) – very poor Social Care – very poor Refuse Services – high crime –  bad management within the Council (autocratic policies – waste of money) – and corruption within Ealing MPs and Directors.

Maternity ward is already closing at Ealing Hospital and it will probably not be long when the whole hospital will shut down so that more houses can be built in the area.

Without a doubt, complaints from local residents will be raised by many in the next few years. You had your chance to bring some positive changes to the Borough of Ealing – no point complaining if there is no courage to embrace changes.

Extra “interesting” reading.

https://glasgow2goa.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/par191210.pdf [Sharma]

http://order-order.com/2011/09/09/labour-mp-denies-illegal-donation-from-the-indian-government/#_@/vdJTTWGV3air9g [Sharma]

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/news-opinion/cllr-gregory-stafford-hypocritical-labour-8430555 [Bell]

http://www.ealingtoday.co.uk/shared/eaplanning001.htm [Bell]

http://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2014/oct/29/ealing-town-hall-for-sale-local-councils-cuts [Bell]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6930063.stm [17 months toddler – Abid Ikram death]

Election Time, and it is like seeing garden sun-kinks emerging from no-where, attracted by the sun. For the rest of the year we hardly see them or hear them; interesting that ‘parties’ are now looking for our support, they wish to have our vote.

My simple question to Mr. Jon Ball is: Where were you for 26 months when I needed you? How come you never had the decency to acknowledge or reply to my emails?

My vote has always gone to those individuals that can make a difference and strive to defend the integrity of their mandate. For this reason, since 1983, I have always supported Mr. Vince Cable (a truly unique gentleman).

Voting, in my opinion has little to do with (promised) policies, but it has mostly to do with persons of high standards that show competence and ability in their responsibilities. A red cross will be applied by me to the names of Jon Ball (Parliamentary Candidate ?) and Virendra Sharma as the most ineffective people in politics; they look after their own interests without considering the need of the constituents.

No vote from me for Labour as we have had enough corruption, cut-backs and second-rate services for far too long from Ealing Council + a local Member of Parliament that “hides” behind a ‘title’ without doing his job. And no vote for the Lib-Dems as they need more of a “Ball” to gain public’s confidence.

Ealing Council have inflicted absolute hell on my mother and I for just over 24 months. My mother only wish was to die at home with dignity and respect.
She died at home; however even her basic fundamental rights to earn a glimpse of dignity, satisfaction and contentment, in her final years of life, were harshly and ruthlessly crushed by all concerned (Ealing Council, councillors, MPs, EU Commission etc.).
Some eleven months later, the EU commission has finally sent a reply to one of my letters. Correctly so, they mention my distress, but what is now haunting me, is the plain fact that my mother has endured the tantalising prospect of months of abuse, neglect and alienation on the hands of Ealing Council social services. Twenty-four months of my life that, even with my 24/7 supervision, were unable to bring to her serenity as I was too busy and preoccupied to seek help, honesty and clarity from all concerned.

Social Care 2015: Better Guidance, Better Care – Better – is what the Government has been promising for many months. While I looked after my mother for over 25 months (since April 2012), social care services from Ealing Council have been dreadful. I am very sorry for those that are alone and need care. Apparently Social Care will face many cuts in 2015.

These are just a few headlines on what is to come for 2015.

Ealing Council rejected the Liberal Democrat call-in for scrutiny of day care centre closures in the borough. Local Lib Dems recommended a delay in the closure of Carlton Road and other centres such as the Solace Centre , Elm and Sycamore Lodges, so ‘a proper and thorough review can be carried out of the needs of people who use these facilities’.

Labour chief (Julian Bell) in social housing owns £1m home round the corner: Councillor branded a ‘hypocrite’ after buying property while staying on as housing association tenant

• Julian Bell bought five-bedroom property in West London seven years ago
• Councillor stayed on as a housing association tenant despite purchase 
• The 55-year-old has protested at housing shortages and Coalition cuts
• Critics urged him to give up social housing to ‘people who really need it’

Ealing Borough’s rubbish and recycling collection is to be downgraded from weekly to fortnightly and wheelie bins are on the way.

More than 400 staff at Ealing Council are facing redundancy as the borough grapples to save £96 million. Local services – already under pressure – face further hardship with children and youth services facing cuts of nearly £3million. Meanwhile the Brent Lodge Animal Centre will have to find new ways of funding and will lose £100,000 from April 2017.

A popular children’s play centre which has proved to be a lifeline for many parents is threatened with closure. The free drop-in centre in Lammas Park is one of many services Ealing council says will have to be cut in a bid to balance the books.

Pupils protest after lollipop women axed by Ealing Council

A new CPZ will be introduced in the Little Ealing area after a vote by local residents. 1749 consultations were sent out in the core area (shown in purple on map) 553 were returned, ie 32% responded – 60% of those who did told the council they wanted the CPZ for two periods of one hour each. Of the roads questioned 87% voted in favour of a CPZ on Chandos Avenue, 83% on Ealing Park Gardens, 77% on Radbourne Avenue and 71% on Darwin Road. [Worth remembering that Ealing FIRST creates the problems and afterwards will seek for solutions].