100 years of Gunnersbury Park
Borough archivist Dr Jonathan Oates marks the centenary of Gunnersbury Park with a look back at the local landmark’s origins and history. It was in May 1926 that Gunnersbury Park was opened to the public by the Minister of Health, Neville Chamberlain (who was later to become Prime Minister at the start of the Second […]
What you need to know before you vote
Some of you will be voting in the borough’s local elections for the first time next Thursday (7 May). This could be because you have just turned 18, recently moved into the area, or have not long gained the right to vote. Others, perhaps, may not have voted in a while and want to do […]
The day the whole borough went on strike
No buses or trains. No newspapers, and a struggle to open schools. Everything threatening to come to a standstill. The only general strike in British history had begun. Borough archivist Dr Jonathan Oates looks back. Almost exactly 100 years ago today, on 4 May 1926, all workers in trade unions across the borough, and across […]
Making it as easy as possible to vote
When you go to your local polling station to vote in the local elections in May, there will be a range of accessibility measures available to you to make it as easy as possible. To help residents vote independently and maintain their secrecy on polling day, Thursday 7 May, there will be wheelchair-accessible polling stations, […]
Who is standing for election in your area?
The names of all the candidates standing in the local election have been released. There are 367 candidates standing across the borough’s 24 ‘wards’ (neighbourhoods) on the big day, on Thursday 7 May. In 22 of the wards, voters will pick 3 councillors; while, in the remaining 2 wards, voters will choose 2 councillors. A […]
Postal voting: another way to vote
For those who watch the news on election day, images of people visiting polling stations to vote are the most well known. However, there is another way to vote – by post. Postal voting is a way of voting in an election – from your own home – without having to go to your local […]
Putting you in the pictures: our movie moguls
What do Brad Pitt, Madonna, Idris Elba, Kate Winslet, Guy Ritchie and a galaxy of other film stars and directors all have in common? They have all filmed in our borough, of course. But how…and why? The West London Film Office (WLFO) has all the answers. You may not have heard of the WLFO before, but it is […]
Lioness and community leaders given Freedom of the Borough
“From playing football in the cages as a young girl to standing here now, this borough has shaped who I am.” These were the heartfelt words shared by England football star Chloe Kelly, who was one of 6 local people to be awarded the Freedom of the Borough at Ealing Council’s civic honours ceremony at […]
Election countdown starts today…are you ready to vote?
The traditional 6-week build-up to the local election in the borough started this morning (Monday 30 March), ahead of the polling day on Thursday 7 May. The official ‘pre-election period’ ahead of the vote gives local political parties the opportunity to campaign before the big day – when you can choose your preferred candidates to […]
Focusing every pound on value for money
The council has been ruthlessly efficient with your money and we are focusing every pound we spend on delivering the best possible services for residents. The council has worked to keep council tax low: you pay less money in real terms than you did in 2010, and our council tax is among the cheapest 20 […]
What does the council spend its money on?
When you get your council tax bill each year, you will see a lot of numbers but perhaps wondered what they all meant in simple terms. Council tax (as you will find out if you get to the bottom of this article) is only one source of the council’s overall budget, which it needs to […]
Spotlight: report shines a light on progress
New parks and trees, wildlife returned after hundreds of years, thousands of new homes, high-performing schools and thousands of people helped to live independently at home. These are just some of the highlights of a document published by Ealing Council recently. Progress with Unity (named after the council’s motto) reports on how the council has […]