JOBS
Plan for recovery – and beyond
As the borough ’ s economy and job market recover from the effects of the pandemic , the council is determined to help it thrive and has developed a plan to do just that – while also addressing various inequalities that are holding people back .
It also wants the plan to have a green ‘ heart ’ to help the borough fight the climate crisis . Councillor Bassam Mahfouz , the council ’ s cabinet member for decent living incomes , said : “ Our borough is full of small businesses , entrepreneurs , creative people . And we also have some big , national or international companies here .
“ It was inspirational to follow the recent series in Around Ealing on how various local businesses managed to survive or even thrive despite the challenges . But the picture is not completely rosy . There are problems , too .
“ The council and many of its partners have been doing all we can to help support those in the community who have lost their jobs or struggled because of the effects of coronavirus on the economy . In fact , 36 % of working residents in Ealing were furloughed in 2020 – the fifth highest rate in London . The impact on the travel industry hit Heathrow Airport and its supply chain very hard , meaning thousands of job losses across our area .
“ And there are still other longerterm inequalities in the workforce . For example , the employment rate for residents from our ethnic minority communities is lower than that of our white residents ; and women find it harder to find employment than men . And almost a third of people working across the borough earn less than the London Living Wage .
“ This simply isn ’ t acceptable in 2021 . That is why the council has a new strategy to rebuild our borough ’ s economy , putting jobs at the forefront .
“ The Ealing Plan for Good Jobs is named after one of the new leadership ’ s three priorities and sets out a vision for continuing to support residents to upskill , reskill and find good jobs . And we will seek to support local businesses to thrive and create new jobs . We also aim to attract investment to the area – while also seizing opportunities to build the ‘ green economy ’ and tackle the climate crisis . It is critical to the borough ’ s future . More details will come as the plan is put into action .” For more information on the Ealing Plan for Good Jobs , visit www . ealing . gov . uk
40 around ealing Autumn 2021