UP FRONT
1
People who own empty properties
will be charged 100% more for their
council tax from 1 April in a bid to
bring more homes back into use. Ealing,
like other parts of the capital, is facing
a severe housing shortage. And new
regulation allows local authorities to charge
property owners up to 100% extra for
council tax on properties that have been
empty for two years or more. Read more at
ealingnewsextra.co.uk/latest-news
2
As part of the borough’s transport
strategy, Ealing Council is updating
some of its diesel vehicles to electric
– as part of a process of cutting carbon
emissions. Council officers will use them
to test how the rest of the fleet might be
upgraded to electric. There are currently
around 40 electric vehicle charging points
in the borough but many more are planned.
Read more at ealingnewsextra.co.uk/
latest-news/electric-fleet
3
Would you like the reassurance that
comes from knowing that help for
you or a loved one is always just a
phone call away, at any time of the day or
night? Careline is a telecare alarm service
designed to help older, frail or disabled
people to remain in their own homes.
Find out more at ealingnewsextra.co.uk/
features/careline or you can subscribe by
emailing [email protected] or
calling 0300 123 2986.
4
Residents are being asked to
suggest topics for councillors to
look into in the coming year. In early
May, a programme for scrutiny panels will
be agreed for the year 2019/20 and anyone
who lives or works in the borough is urged
to submit ideas by Tuesday, 23 April. For
more details, visit ealingnewsextra.co.uk/
features/scrutiny-2019
speedread
4
around ealing April/May 2019
Redrawing the map
The Local Government Boundary Commission is looking for your views
on proposed changes to our borough.
It has proposed a number of changes, including altering the boundaries
of our local ‘ward’ areas; adding an extra ward (meaning we would
have 24 instead of 23); adding an extra councillor so we would have 70
instead of 69; and renaming eight wards. The idea is to better distribute
the number of constituents per ward, now and in the future.
HAVE YOUR SAY
A 10-week public consultation on the recommendations started in
February and will end on 15 April.
To make a submission to the commission, you can email reviews@lgbce.
org.uk or you can have your say directly online at consultation.lgbce.org.uk
and choose Ealing from the drop-down menu. The online option shows you
the commission’s recommended changes. Alternatively, you can write to:
The Review Officer (Ealing), Local Government Boundary Commission for
England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL.
New parking app
For the first time in Ealing, residents can choose to receive text
message reminders to their phone before a car parking session
expires – completely free of charge.
PayByPhone has taken over the management of parking sessions
in the borough. Drivers can pay anywhere, any time via the
PayByPhone app, or online or by phone – without the need for cash.
App users can also simply add more time to their parking session
before it expires. You can download the PayByPhone app from the
App Store or Google Play Store or visit www.paybyphone.co.uk
Read more at ealingnewsextra.co.uk/latest-news/
parking-app