Ealing Labour continues to fail in its delivery for residents
Ealing Liberal Democrats dismayed at poor quality of services for residents.
Ealing Labour have borrowed an unprecedented £390m since 2020, potentially burdening local council taxpayers with an increasing loan repayment rate rising from 11% of the budget1 in FY20/21 to 16% of the budget in 24/25. This means that your council tax will continue to rise at the maximum amount which Labour can allow (usually 5%).
This is contrary to their assertion in their manifesto that they “will keep council tax as low as possible”2. This is Ealing's own local Labour deficit which will take about 50 years to clear!
So, what have they built with this money in this electoral term? The aim was to build 4,000 affordable homes by 2026. Yet they have only about half of these units under development and a look around the borough will display many only half-built and empty sites at various stages with few completions. This is at a time when residents are suffering in an unprecedented housing market, coupled with one of the worst cost of living crisis. This affects families and the increasingly aging population who are being disadvantaged through failure to deliver purpose built supported accommodation. If built this would reduce the dependence on a failing social service and the need to move them into care home and increased independence.
Recent Q1 2024/2025 showed that on their own self defined Key Performance Indicators that almost half are Red or Amber3.
Key failure areas include4:
- Street Environment - failure to clear fly tips in target time and levels of cleanliness in terms of litter and graffiti - 3 red indicators (KPIs 6,7,9).
- Social Care Services - failure to support the resident population in terms of reablement services at home, reduce admission into nursing care, weak uptake of direct payment by users, failure to sufficiently reduce risk and
placements for working age adults and failure to address EHC plans in time. 6 red indicators (KPIs 14,15,16, 20, 21, 29). - Housing - too many families in B&B and poor overall tenant satisfaction with many essential safety checks not completed on time. 2 red indicators (KPIs 59,63)
Ealing Labour have foregone £90m in delaying the implementation of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)6 in Ealing by 15 years meaning that residents have lost that investment which could have been put into infrastructure lending from developers.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Gary Busuttil, Spokesperson for Performance and Council Honesty said: “Liberal Democrats say that Labour-run Ealing Council often claims it has no money rather than develop efficient systems. They have foregone £90m from CIL (planning monies) resulting in lost funds for local communities over a period of 15 years which is as long as Ealing Labour have been in power. Liberal Democrats want to see Ealing Council run efficiently and doing the basics right. We uncovered over £1m of wasted spending this year. Liberal Democrats would have reallocated funds to making Ealing cleaner and safer and helping many vulnerable residents. It is a smack in the face that Labour pours our council taxes down the drain.”
Notes:
#001 Budget Context Document Chart 4 – Percentage Net Spending on Services 2020 to 2025
https://ealing.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s17189/Budget%20Context%20202526.pdf Chart 4 – Percentage Net Spending on Services 2020 to 2025
#002 Ealing Labour manifesto 2022 https://www.ealinglabour.com/manifesto2022/
https://www.ealinglabour.com/manifesto2022/our-2022-pledges/inclusive-economy/
Inclusive economy text “We know just how much people are struggling with the cost of living, so we do all we can to manage our budgets responsibly and to keep council tax as low as possible. We stay focused on ensuring we are efficient and effective with your money, spending wisely and investing sensibly, always protecting the most vulnerable.”
#003 p13 Table : Performance of Corporate Health check KPIs at Q1 2025/2026 in Council Plan Q1 report for Cabinet 15 Oct 2025
https://ealing.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s21538/Council%20Plan%20Performance%20Report%20
Q1%202025-26.pdf
#004 P24 KPIs6,7& 9 Appx 2: Performance of Corporate Health check KPIs at Q1 2025/2026 in Council Plan Q1 report for Cabinet 15 Oct 2025
https://ealing.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s21538/Council%20Plan%20Performance%20Report%20
Q1%202025-26.pdf
#005 £65,000 worth of IT equipment lost or stolen at Ealing Council in six months 10 April 2024
£65,000 worth of IT equipment lost or stolen at Ealing Council in six months - EALING.NEWS - The Voice of Ealing's 7 towns - Acton, Ealing, Greenford, Hanwell, Northolt, Perivale, Southall.
#006 The CIL Calculation of £90m is made up of £6m pa for 15 years ie £6x15 =£90m. The £6m figure is based on Ealing Labour’s own estimates. CIL was introduced in 2010 by the government, when Ealing Labour took control 15 years ago. CIL is a tool which enables council to charge development companies a fee specifically for infrastructure spending. Ealing Labour have only just introduced this levy in 2025, the last borough in London to do so. That is as long as Ealing Labour have been in power in Ealing!