and a look ahead to 2012
My stock answer when asked how I am recently has been – “Apart from the odd riot, £85m cuts to Ealing Council and the government trying to close our local hospitals, I’m fine!” This in a nutshell sums up 2011. It has been a tough year and the year ahead doesn’t look any less tough.
However although things have been very challenging in 2011 lots of positive things have happened in the last year and will continue into 2012. As I continue my conversation with people I ask them if they have noticed all the cranes in Ealing. Cranes at the back of the Town Hall as the new Dickens Yard development continues apace. Cranes at Dormers Wells and Cardinal Wiseman High Schools as they are newly built. Cranes on South Acton and Green Man Lane Estates where comprehensive regeneration is taking place.
2012 will see more cranes. The Acton Town Hall regeneration project will begin on a new swimming pool, leisure centre, and library and community facilities. The new High school in the north of the Borough will begin to be built. Regeneration work will begin on more of our Council estates including Rectory Park, Northolt and Copley Close, West Ealing.
The Labour Council have also frozen Council Tax for 2012 and we will continue to do all we can to protect frontline services and the most vulnerable from the unprecedented £85m cuts being imposed on us by the Tory led government. We will also campaign to protect vital services at Ealing and Central Middlesex Hospitals that are under threat.
Tough as the year ahead maybe we do have the consolation and excitement of the Olympic Games to look forward to. As a sporting enthusiast I can’t wait and we will have our own special slice of the Olympic experience with the over night stop and Olympic Torch event in Walpole Park on the 24th July just days before the opening ceremony. It has been a long time coming but 2012 is finally here. I’m sure it will be a year to remember. A happy, prosperous and peaceful new year to all.
Cllr Julian Bell
1 January 2012