Ealing Council Put Out Statement After Video Of Council Meeting Goes Viral On Social Media

Ealing’s Council leader Julian Bell, tells other councillors in a Zoom meeting: “Clearly we want to take advantage of COVID around active travelling infrastructure.  

He Said “We’ve already got over £600,000 of funding from TfL (you know that authority that is bankrupt and wants more tax payers money) to put in temporary cycling and walking infrastructure.

Our aim is to get that to £1,000,000 and to make this permanent”.

So there you have it from the horses mouth. 

Joint statement from Councillor Julian Bell, Ealing Council leader and Councillor Mik Sabiers, cabinet member for environment and highways.

“Ealing Council works closely with all the emergency services in our borough and the safety of residents is always the council’s first priority. 

“There has been ongoing engagement with all services regarding the implementation of low traffic neighbourhoods.   

“We have used feedback from these discussions with colleagues in the emergency services to adapt and improve plans as quickly as possible.  

“We know these schemes have generated strong views both for and against. We want to engage with residents and are committed to acting on resident feedback where this can be done without compromising the trial. 

“Regrettably, the London Ambulance Service were not consulted at the same time as the Metropolitan Police and the London Fire Brigade.  Although delayed, feedback from the London Ambulance Service on all of Ealing’s low traffic neighbourhood schemes including those for two  schemes (Loveday Road, LTN 30 and West Ealing North, LTN20 ) due for implementation by the end of September has now been given and taken on board.  We are reviewing our procedures to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

“We can confirm there have been no formal objections to any of Ealing’s low traffic neighbourhoods by the emergency services.  We have updated schemes based on their feedback, including using cameras instead of bollards at some junctions and using standard London Fire Brigade keys to unlock bollards, as is the standard practice. Should the emergency services make any further recommendations, the council will work with them to implement changes. 

“We deeply regret this mistake and the council has apologised to the London Ambulance Service.   The London Ambulance Service has acknowledged that  since this issue came to light the constructive way in which we have engaged with them and taken on board their recommendations could serve as an approach to follow. 

“Earlier today we wrote to apologise to local ward councillors and MPs who like us, had understood this had happened, we have also advised them of the actions that have been taken.  

“The government funded LTN scheme was introduced as live trials where the public is asked to give feedback as they experience the schemes.  All feedback submitted will be considered as part of the ongoing consultation.

 “As part of the live consultation process, we are committed to continuing to work with residents and the emergency services throughout the trial and will gather their feedback to ensure this can be taken on board and addressed.

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT :

These street closures and cycle lanes will get worse and make no mistake about it, they want to make this permanent.

In their statement, they try to explain how they are going to do everyone a favour and replace the bollards with cameras.... there’s a surprise 

Councillor Bell hit the headlines back in 2015 when he was reported to the chief executive by the councils conservative leader, over a council hone scandal. 
But the chief executive refused to investigate.