Tory Anger Over Lack of Borough Wide Action Over Travellers
They say Labour's putting political agenda above community needs
Ealing Tories say plans to fence parts of Ealing Common to try and stop travellers are a 'waste of money' and 'illogical'.
It follows a bororough wide campaign last year resulting in a petition calling for an injunction against unauthorised encampments.
Cllr Joanna Dabrowska, Ealing Common ward councillor, initiated the petition with over 1,500 residents signing it, including her Labour ward colleague.
Howevery, at the council meeting, the Labour councillor did a U-turn, and voted against the petition together with the rest of his Labour colleagues. The Liberal Democrats also rejected the call for the borough-wide injunction.
Ealing borough has had the second highest number of unauthorised encampments across London with over 160 in just three years; over one a week.
A recent incursion at Horsenden Hill has now been evicted and contractors were called in to adjust the height restrictor to try and improve security and prevent another occurence.
( photos courtesy David Harvey)
The Council has also announced that they will look into the possibility of installing ‘fences and ditches’ around the Common.
Cllr Joanna Dabrowska responded, “This is such an illogical solution. The Council are planning to put ‘fences’ around two parts of Ealing Common costing £200k. What about the other four parts where there have been unauthorised encampments? It’s a waste of public money. I’d rather taxpayer funds be spent on saving the borough’s seven libraries under imminent threat of closure.
''Since the debate, we’ve had numerous encampments across the whole of the borough with more than half of them on public land. I am sure the financial cost of the injunction will be, if not already, be outweighed by the current and future unauthorised encampments.
''The Council seems to have forgotten the rest of the borough residents.
''Ealing Labour are putting their political agenda above the needs of all residents in Acton, Southall, Greenford, Northolt, Perivale, Hanwell and Northfields.
''They simply don’t care about anyone other than themselves.”
Cllr Dabrowska, as the petitioner, says she is still waiting for a response regarding providing additional legal traveller sites.
An Ealing Counci spokesperson said: “Local residents are as frustrated as we are about this issue and its right for us to fully investigate all the options to improve this situation. Fencing is one such option and our officers are looking into the possibility of a programme to place railings and ditches around the Common. This could save time and considerable money in future and provide a genuinely permanent resolution to this issue on Ealing Common.”
January 30th 2019 ( updated)