With local elections approaching on May 7, political parties in Ealing have unveiled their manifestos, outlining commitments for the next four years should they gain control of the council. Labour has held power in the borough for 16 years, but faces challenges from the Liberal Democrats, the current main opposition, and the Greens, whose support has surged recently. The Conservatives hold four seats and aim to increase their presence. Meanwhile, the newly formed Ealing Community Independents Party is fielding 26 candidates across 11 wards, alongside four existing independent councillors.
Conservative Party Pledges
The Conservatives have published key policies focusing on housing, community safety, and the environment.
Housing
- End "harmful" HMO clusters by creating a dedicated enforcement taskforce of 10 council officers to inspect 100% of HMOs.
- Offer a free fast-track planning application service with a 30-day decision guarantee for developers building affordable family homes.
- Avoid high-rise developments wherever possible.
Communities
- Implement a zero-tolerance approach to crime, shoplifting, and antisocial behaviour by funding 10 additional police officers and deploying re-deployable CCTV cameras.
- Start construction of a modern swimming pool by December 2026.
Environment
- Move to borough-wide fortnightly street cleaning and guarantee 48-hour removal for reported fly-tips.
- Provide free community skip days and aim to reduce fly-tipping by 40%.
Finance and Local Economy
- Revive high streets by backing a national campaign to abolish business rates on high street shops and pubs.
- Pilot a 'free after 3pm' parking offer and reinstate the Stop & Shop programme.
Ealing Community Independents Party Pledges
This new party focuses on housing, community democracy, and environmental action.
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Housing
- Build social housing, suspend right-to-buy until sufficient housing is built, campaign for rent controls, and freeze rents for council properties.
- Establish a distinct Housing Committee and launch an HMO inspection programme paid for by landlords.
- Bring empty homes back into use by tripling council tax on long-term vacant second homes and compulsorily purchasing empty properties.
- Guarantee no demolition of estates without binding ballots and full rights of return.
Communities
- Transform council democracy with shared decision-making, restored ward forums, and reversing the petition signature increase.
- Maintain all 25 children's centres, upgrade them to Sure Start+ standards, and provide a universal school uniform support scheme (at least £150 for Year 7 starters).
- Create a council-employed team of 'Navigators' to report problems and act as "eyes and ears" for enforcement.
- Restore libraries with weekend access and create a new cemetery in Southall.
Environment and Transport
- Protect green spaces by turning Warren Farm into a wildlife haven and redirecting funds to complete Gurnell leisure centre by 2028.
- Clean up Ealing by scrapping charges for bulky item pick-ups, removing Greenford recycling centre booking requirements, and ensuring at least weekly street cleaning in high-priority areas.
- Standardise parking zones, introduce fair parking with resident priority, and appraise high-demand pedestrian crossings.
- Ensure a fair green transition towards an ambitious net-zero policy.
Finance and Local Economy
- Prioritise community wealth building by using local, co-operative, and not-for-profit suppliers in procurement.
- Publish all major contracts, senior pay, councillor expenses, and simple bar charts of expenditure online.
- Divest pension funds from arms companies and weapons systems, investing instead in ethical organisations and green technologies.
Green Party Pledges
The Greens have applied their national values to Ealing, focusing on affordable housing, community services, and environmental protection.
Housing
- Push for affordable housing and moderate density developments.
Communities
- Oppose the closure of Ealing's Children's Centres.
- Support local NHS services and campaign to save Ealing Hospital.
- Campaign against a proposed gambling centre in Hanwell.
- Support union recognition and the living wage for all council and contracted staff.
Environment and Transport
- Protect green spaces, including supporting the Save Warren Farm Nature Reserve Campaign.
- Promote active travel with safe cycling, bike storage, and upgraded pedestrian crossings and pavements.
- Expand car sharing and electric car charging infrastructure.
- Improve public transport through bus lanes and electrifying bus fleets, while opposing airport expansion.
Finance and Local Economy
- Call on the council to divest public pension funds, supporting the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Labour Party Pledges
Labour, in power for 16 years, emphasises affordable housing, community safety, and climate action.
Housing
- Deliver more genuinely affordable homes and invest £407m in repairing and upgrading existing council homes by 2025/26.
- Guarantee that residents involved in estate regeneration have the right to return to a new energy-efficient home.
- Champion the Renters Rights Bill, crack down on rogue landlords, and partner with the Ealing Private Renters Association.
- Cut carbon and energy bills by delivering low-energy homes supporting Passivhaus Standards and expanding heat networks.
Communities
- Crack down on antisocial behaviour with a new street enforcement team, 50 re-deployable CCTV cameras, and a 24/7 tow-truck for abandoned cars.
- Fight to protect Ealing Hospital and keep its A&E open, demanding better healthcare services.
- Double funding for early years support to help new parents, babies, and toddlers, working with national government to reduce child poverty.
- Expand the alley gating scheme to 50 more locations to improve neighbourhood safety.
Environment and Transport
- Make active travel easier and safer by expanding School Streets, cycle routes, bike hangars, EV charging, and e-bike schemes.
- Boost nature by progressing the 580-acre West London Regional Park, creating new nature conservation sites in every town, and planting more trees.
- Clean up streets with a year-round rapid-response squad and trial borough-wide "mega skips".
- Cut the council's emissions to net zero as soon as possible and implement a borough-wide climate resilience plan.
Finance and Local Economy
- Keep council tax low and continue providing one of the most generous council tax support schemes in the country.
- Increase the number of Living Wage employers, deliver new apprenticeships, and expand affordable workspaces in areas like Southall, Acton, and Greenford.
- Keep more council spending local by simplifying procurement for small local businesses.
- Maintain and expand face-to-face support at community hubs across Ealing's seven towns.
Liberal Democrat Pledges
The Liberal Democrats focus on housing restrictions, community services, and environmental improvements.
Housing
- Respect the Local Plan to restrict tower blocks over eight storeys high, focusing on mid-rise 'mansion block' developments.
- Push for legislation to punish developers who fail to provide locally required infrastructure.
- Introduce more stringent 'fit and proper' tests for housing developers to avoid derelict or half-built developments.
Communities
- Stop the closure of 10 children's centres on day one and strongly oppose closure of adult day care centres.
- Expand coverage of council-funded local police to Tube and transport stations.
- Reverse the closure of the 24-hour front counter in Acton Police Station.
- Trial local referenda on issues affecting daily lives, reinstate ward forums, and reverse increases to petition signature thresholds.
Environment
- Increase frequency of street cleaning and leaf sweeping by using AI to direct cleaning teams.
- Increase opening hours at Greenford Waste and Recycling Centre to seven days a week and cancel the appointment system.
- Re-open Acton Recycling Centre.
- Commission an independent enquiry into the failures of the Lammas Park Sustainable Urban Drainage Scheme.
Finance and Local Economy
- Cancel Stop and Shop Plus stealth parking charges to encourage high street footfall.
- Create a Micro Business Allowance of £100 per week for the first six months of trading to support local start-ups.
- Introduce a Richmond-style Ealing App for council services and discounts on parking and shopping.
Reform UK
Reform UK has not published a local manifesto for Ealing. The party did not respond to requests for commitments. However, at a rally in Leeds in March, leader Nigel Farage pledged lower council tax rises if the party controls more councils. Deputy Leader Richard Tice has suggested compulsory display of the King's photo and Union flags in schools, likely a national policy.
