Our communities are what makes Ealing special. We are one of the most diverse parts of the country, and our residents speak a wider range of languages than elsewhere in London.

We are incredibly lucky to have such innovative, inclusive and vibrant community and faith groups. From hosting the Mela, Ealing Summer Festival and the wonderful facilities at Pitzhanger Manor, we have so much to offer our residents and to showcase our residents’ talents to the rest of London.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, it has become clearer than ever how important it is that everyone, especially our most vulnerable residents, has accessible and active support near where they live. People have come together to support their friends and neighbours, and it has been a sign of light in the most challenging times.

We came together via our existing networks and mutual aid to tackle loneliness, social isolation and food poverty during a time when we all were struggling. It also brought into sharp focus how important leisure centres, libraries and other community spaces are for coming together, supporting our mental health and building resilience.

That’s why we are committed to creating thriving communities across our borough, which means bringing people together to build strong neighbourhoods, empowering volunteers, encouraging community activism, engaging civic and faith leaders, and delivering well-loved community facilities and services. ​

As a council, we want to support and empower community groups, and give residents the facilities and space to thrive. This is about working in partnership, to put power in the hands of people and ensure everyone has access to the facilities they both expect and need.

WE PLEDGE TO

1. Launch a Community Charter, setting out your rights as residents and what you can expect from the council in being open, inclusive, and transparent in everything we do, handing over power to communities and supporting residents to come together to take mutual ownership and management of the public assets you love, sustaining them well into the future. 
2. Expand our community sports facilities and pitches across the Borough, ensuring that we deliver 5 new cricket pitches, 4 tennis courts, 8 football pitches and finally bring Southall FC back to the town in supporting them to find a home, and rapidly expand our Lets Go Southall initiative, investing an extra  £3.2m in Southall to make cycling more accessible and safe.
3. Deliver new, state of the art leisure facilities at Gurnell and renew Dormers Wells, and deliver a new outdoor swimming Lido in the Borough, and invest £2m in new and renewed playgrounds.
4. A new Community Access Guarantee for the council’s buildings, ensuring that community groups, start-ups and social enterprises can easily find accessible and affordable space to meet, work and run activities in all parts of the Borough.
5. Turbocharge the creative spirit of Ealing, by securing and investing at least £1m  in community and grassroots art, music, dance and culture, secure our status as West London’s leading Borough of Culture and work with the community and creative industries to deliver a new state of the art performing arts centre within the Borough.
6. Establish new Town Forums that have more power to set the spending priorities for local communities, and set aside £2m we raise from the developer tax to be spent by communities on what they want, facilitating community initiatives and microfinancing.
7. We will continue to explore new ways of delivering vital community assets in our seven towns, ensuring every town has access to libraries, community centres, public toilets, and places to meet, eat and be together.
8. Embed the spirit of mutual aid and community action from voluntary, faith and charitable groups that took place during the pandemic and step up our support and facilitation of communities making their neighbourhoods more cohesive and caring.
9. Bring even greater diversity to our festivals and events, ensuring that there is something for everyone in our borough, bringing communities from all backgrounds together, involving community organisations and deliver a major festival to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.