Ealing Council has revealed that it plans to set up a “Southall Reset Programme” in a move that it says “will be focused on tackling deep-rooted challenges specific to Southall to support its residents and businesses to become part of a thriving Southall community and benefit from a more inclusive economy.”
The announcement and details of the programme, were revealed at a Cabinet meeting held by the Labour run Ealing Council last night (13 July 2022).
Commenting on twitter, Ealing Council leader Councillor Peter Mason said: “Tonight we hit the reset button for Southall, our industrious, resilient, entrepreneurial, diverse, incredible town. It’s future is as a place of good, well-paid jobs, of culture and community pride – not a dormitory town. ”
Tonight we hit the reset button for Southall, our industrious, resilient, entrepreneurial, diverse, incredible town.
It’s future is as a place of good, well-paid jobs, of culture and community pride – not a dormitory town. https://t.co/EjJPNW1hFl pic.twitter.com/MEjaT4Oqd1
— Peter Mason (@_petermason) July 13, 2022
The planned reset for Southall, which has been run by Labour since 2010, will also involve the creation of a community led Southall Town Forum to engage with local residents and businesses. The town forum is part of a plan for all of Ealing’s seven towns to have them.
Another part of the “reset” is growth of active project initiatives. This will include the Southall Active Travel Project which will be replacing the South Road Bridge widening project and seeking to use £9.29m of funding from the Greater London Authority to be spent towards walking and cycling projects in Southall.
In the Southall Reset Programme document discussed at the Cabinet meeting, the council highlighted a number of concerns from residents.
It said: “Despite the improvements and the public investment in the area, local people have expressed concerns about the significant amount of and affordability of
new residential development, the relative lack of new employment space and job creation, and ongoing issues of congestion and fly tipping in the public realm.”
A recent Shaping Ealing survey of Southall residents found a higher dissatisfaction about living in the area compared to other parts of the borough.
It said: “Responses to the recent Shaping Ealing engagement survey suggests that views from Southall residents are much more negative as compared to the borough overall as well as the other six towns. There are concerns about the lack of safe walking and cycling routes, public transport provision, high quality open spaces, safety, air quality, community facilities and good jobs and employment opportunities.”
Ealing Council also revealed findings of a number of other surveys it has undertaken both online and in person recently, which highlighted concerns from residents.
It said: “Key concerns and issues raised by participants in the events included:
• Dissatisfaction with local development, lack of facilities for walking and cycling as well as infrequent/ inadequate public transport, and concerns
about safety especially in public spaces such as parks.
• Southall residents strongly raised poor levels of cleanliness and hygiene in the area and issues of littering, fly tipping, waste and pollution.
• Residents feel they are not either consulted properly or listened to by the council when new plans or policies are brought about.
• Participants said they did not oppose development but would like to ensure that proper infrastructure to support new development was in place before it takes place. Some felt that Southall was disproportionately impacted by the “disbenefits” of development such as noise, odour, traffic and disruption, instead of its advantages.
• Faith leaders from Southall noted the positive work as part of the Let’s Go Southall program, improved security and lighting in the parks, and investment in the outdoor gym. However, concerns were raised about the disposing of community assets such as the Youth Activity Centre and Featherstone Leisure Centre. Faith leaders also suggested other
engagement methods for the local community such as more in-person engagement instead of digital/ online. They offered to have stalls in the local temples on the weekends to increase participation in the Local Plan survey.
• There were positive comments on diversity, multiculturalism, local cultural food and shops, therefore most young people would like to live in the borough after they finish school, however they find house prices are unaffordable, and also, made references to the level of homelessness and the poor state of housing. There is consensus that the local area does not always offer the best quality of housing, particularly the older social housing that looks run down and unsafe.
• At the events held in high schools, young people expressed a desire to work and live in the borough after finishing education but cited lack of suitable employment or apprenticeship opportunities as well as inability to use public and active transport to travel both locally and out of borough. Residents would like to see improvements to public facilities, parks and green spaces, as well as additional indoor and outdoor leisure facilities in the area.”
According to a timetable from the Council, the Southall Reset Programme will start in August 2022 and Southall Active Travel Project will start in September 2022.
