FUTURE EALING
The big
conversation
Ealing Council is changing. It is working to make the borough better – but at a time of
significantly reduced funding. It is calling its answer to this challenge Future Ealing.
T
he council has set three
priorities for the next four
years: Building more good,
genuinely affordable homes,
delivering more opportunities and
a living income for local people and
helping people to be healthier and
neighbourhoods to thrive.
Councillors and council officers
will be travelling around the borough
this summer to talk to local people
about them and how we can all work
together to make the borough better.
THE CHALLENGE
Government cuts mean that the
council will have £143million less
government funding by 2021 than in
2010 – a 64% reduction and deeper
than the London or UK average. At the
same time, our borough’s population
is aging and costs are increasing.
Local adult social care and children’s
services are under more pressure than
ever before but, at the same time, the
council wants to carry on improving the
way it provides services.
With £57million in savings still to find
over the next three years, there will be
some tough decisions ahead.
MEETING THE CHALLENGE
Council leader Julian Bell, said: “We
want to transform the way that we
work and be as efficient as possible.
This means working in a smarter,
more digital way, with a focus on
preventing problems.
“It also means keeping a tight
control on our spending. With a
reduced workforce we can build a
smaller, cheaper to run headquarters at
no cost to council tax payers. And, on
the same site we want to build some
genuinely affordable homes.
“By being creative we can look
to reduce spending. For instance,
providing support to help keep families
together is incredibly positive for the
family itself but also avoids the council
having to pay for expensive long-term
care and other related costs.
“We will also grow our income where
we can, including reviewing our fees
and charges. However, government
cuts will inevitably mean making some
tough decisions that will impact on
public services, but if we don’t take
these now, we will be forced to make
even harder decisions later.”
Turn the page to see how the
council is planning on
approaching Future Ealing.
around ealing June 2018
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