Forum Topics

Council's plan for our Parks - NO Park Rangers

"Management put forward a new proposal yesterday (on the last day of our 90 day consultation) which does away with the ranger service altogether. Instead they suggest 4 higher grade Parks Area Officers and 6 lower grade Parks Area Officers who will be managed by an Assistant Parks Improvement Officer. There is also 1 Contract Monitoring Officer job that will be available for Rangers to apply for.At best the details of these jobs are very sketchy, and it's not clear what the difference is between the two grades. Nature conservation duties seemed to have slipped down the agenda and it looks like the service will run from Mon - Sat, 9am-5 pm, so no cover at all in the evenings or on Sundays. There's very little scope for educational activities.This will result in a substantial cut in money for rangers and a depletion in service for local residents. It is not clear where the new service will be based.The job description isn't clear either. Management are talking about building up the job description once they've decided who's got the jobs (as stated in the attachment).We've just heard from Unison that the consultation period will be extended, but not sure for how long (we've asked for 2 weeks), so please make the most of this time to let the Council know what you think about these proposals."

Jane Salisbury ● 5701d0 Comments ● 5701d

Spring is upon us

The magnolias are budding and the vibernum is flowering at the South Ealing Road entrance to the South Ealing Cemetery.

Maggie Tomlinson ● 5706d4 Comments ● 5702d

Ealing LINk open meeting - NHS Changes

Time to get involved!!! National Changes to the NHS - Local implications Development of Ealing GP Consortia Opportunity to give your views on the changes Help to inform local prioritiesEaling LINk is having a opening meeting torrow evenuing at Ealing Town Hall between 5pm and 7pm.

Jim Wong ● 5717d6 Comments ● 5702d

Ealing Car Rental (UK) Co Ltd

Has anybody used this company in Lionel Road and have any feedback?

Maggie Dodge ● 5704d6 Comments ● 5703d

Ealing Council fined for unecnrypted data

This might have been covered already, but just in case... Ealing Council fined £80k for the theft of laptops with unencrypted personal data of 1000 Ealing residents. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/08/ico_fines_two_councils_over_unencrypted_laptop_thefts/

Caspar Mason ● 5710d15 Comments ● 5704d

BLP Art Collective - Exhibition 27th February

Hi everyone,A year ago myself and a number of other artists living in Ealing and Acton set up some voluntary art sessions for artists with learning disabilities in a building in Brent Lodge Park, Hanwell (aka The Bunny Park). The group designs banners and signs and interpretive artwork  for the animal centre in the park and in return we get to use their facilities as an art space. We hope to get commissions and offer art workshops as an alternative to day centres for artists who have disabilities or who cope with mental illness. With help from the animal centre manager, Ealing council, volunteers and local organisations, we have renovated an old building in the animal centre which will be used as a dedicated art space where we can hold workshops and exhibit work by collective members. We will be opening the new studio building and holding an exhibition of work on Sunday 27th February between 11:30am and 4pm at Brent Lodge Park. Please PM me if you are interested and I will send you an invite.

Matthew Coulam ● 5704d0 Comments ● 5704d

Recommend a removal company?

I need to move next Friday (yeah, talk about short notice) and the couple places I've used before are booked already. Please help... anyone recommend a removal company they've used before? It's a local move, am staying within Ealing - 1-2 bed flat, looking for somewhere with a packing service as well as the actual removal.Thanks for any suggestions!

Kirsten Sprinks ● 5709d5 Comments ● 5704d

South Ealing Scheme: Do NOT Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

The old adage about "not looking a gift horse in the mouth" comes to mind about the TFL (Transport for London) scheme for South Ealing Tube Station local road layouts. The whole schebang is being for by TFL (i.e. The Mayors Office, The London Assembly, etc.) Ealing Council has done very little for South Ealing in living memory other than terrorising its inhabitants with hordes of roaming envirocrime officers-even one of our local councillors David Millican prefers to drink in the Rose and Crown, well NORTH of South Ealing rather than in any of his "local" pubs. No one cares about South Ealing. If TFL has graciouly stepped in with this scheme, lets take everything that we can get and then make a few modifications afterwards: close a road here, put in a one-way sign there. For years residents have been asking for traffic calming on the South Ealing Road and the last Labour administration spent £50K on a study done by Mouchel Parkman (I think) on the Popes Lane/South Ealing Road intersection and failed to implement any of its findings.Walking past South Ealing Tube stations today I noted the rubbish in the hedges outside the Maytrees Park, the ancient bicycle frame abandoned and chained to the cycle rack for months, the cracked and heaving pavement. Let's take what we can get! It has got to be better than what we've got!A voter, Maggie.

Maggie Tomlinson ● 5707d6 Comments ● 5704d

Ealing Today's local hero!

Thoroughly deserved to a man who is really passionate about his own local community; scouts, bikehubs, Ealing Freecycle, social clubs, allotments, beer drinking David really is Mr Ealing – and is a bloody decent bloke too!  Well done David!

Ben Owen ● 5704d1 Comments ● 5704d

Healing in Chiswick

Healing will take place at the London Buddhist Vihara, The Avenue, W4 1UD, tomorrow, Monday, 14th February, between 11am and 1pm anyone who would like to receive healing, or just an energy boost, is more than welcome.  We will have a number of healers waiting to meet you.Although the centre takes place in the Buddhist Temple the healing is NOT related to any religion, it is totally non-denominational everyone is welcome.No charge is made for healing however a donation is most welcome - all donations are given to the Vihara for the use of the hall.No appointments are necessary.  For any further information please give me a ring on 0788 189 6449.

Pat Smith ● 5705d0 Comments ● 5705d

getting shirts laundered

The place where I get my shirts laundered has put up its prices by 50%. Can anyone recommend somewhere in W7/W13 where I can get them done at a reasonable price?Thanks.

Simon Moore ● 5707d3 Comments ● 5705d

Free food magazines

Hi there!I have a load of old food magazines (about 75 or so?) Mostly Good Food, Olive and Delicious, with a handful of Observer food mags, and other ones thrown in for good measure? Would anyone like them? I'm in  South Ealing, just over the M4, and you'd need a car to pick them up - they're heavy, and in multiple carrier bags!I'd love for these to go this weekend, so if anyone would like them, let me know!

Nikki Morton ● 5706d0 Comments ● 5706d

Beer Prices

I had a real shock tonight. I went into my local Fullers pub (the Red Lion on the South Ealing Road near the film studios) to discover that it was charging £3.70 for a pint of Stella Artois. This should be compared with £2.90 at the Sir Michael Balcon (Weatherspoons) pub on the Mall next to Young's vets. I strongly recommend checking the price of beer (and wine!) at Fullers pubs in Ealing before purchasing.

Mark Maytree ● 5880d68 Comments ● 5706d

The  thrill in the beat of the Dholl Drums of Southall

Roy Orbson Hit song " Pretty Woman " was enhanced with the Magic of the Bhangra Beat with the use of the Bass Drum of the Punjab.Do you think that The "BHANGRA BEAT" will increase its craze as time goes by ?

Os. A. Whittle ● 5707d3 Comments ● 5706d

New Charity Shop in West Ealing

I noticed this on Ux Rd the other day - it's for DebRA. The shop's at the "Hanwell" end . I hope they do well - they have some nice stuff but my word it's expensive compared with some of the others,

Viv Ellis ● 5709d8 Comments ● 5707d

Drilling holes

A friend of mine requires some 40 holes, about 16mm in diameter drilled in either a sheet of perspex, plywood or thin metal sheet.  It needs to be done very accurately.  Anyone here able to either do it or suggest  someone?

G Lord ● 5709d2 Comments ● 5709d

Helicopter

What was going on last night around Uxbridge Road and Northfields?  Helicopter flying very low, no sirens at about 3 in the morning.Anyone know?

G Lord ● 5709d5 Comments ● 5709d

A Hidden Town Within our beloved Borough .

There are atleast 100.000 people who are living in various parts our borough who are unregistered,non-voters,made up largely of Illegal immigrants. These unfortunate people are the Voiceless working force of unscrupulous Employers . Grossly under paid ,treated without human dignity ,and often beaten if they do protest. They cannot go to the Police for protection or report their plight to any organisation for fear of being deported.These are the people who live in Back garden developements,huts,garages,or underpasses. A problem that is leading fast towards other unsocial issues like Drugs,prostitution,and oppotunist burglary. There are over 129 new immigrants still entering the UK each day . WHY?    Is it not time to strengthen our borders and FULLY STOP immigration ? Sort out the present growing Hidden Population before we return to normal policies on Immigration. Is there someone willing among our politicians  to make a start

Os. A. Whittle ● 5724d106 Comments ● 5710d

Hanwell Carnival is on Twitter

#hanwellcarnival    - please follow us and join in! In fact if any of the Ealing Tweeters are reading this - I have never Tweeted before - wouldn't mind some feedback / tips!

Viv Ellis ● 5711d0 Comments ● 5711d

Replacement front door, recommendation

Has anybody had experience of somebody who could fit a new front door?If so do you have any recommendations/prices or whom to avoid (seen plenty of on-line comments that I should avoid Everest or companies like that, but few good ideas of locals who could offer the service!)Thanks in advance!

James Lockwood ● 5715d3 Comments ● 5711d