UP FRONT
Fines for spitters
and litterers
“We spend £4.5million each year cleaning up after
people who feel it is OK to litter our streets with
rubbish, chewing gum, spitting or dog mess,” said
Councillor Bassam Mahfouz.
The cabinet member for transport, environment and
leisure continued: “Residents are sick of seeing it and
paying to get it cleaned up through their taxes. The changes
we are making will turn the tide against these selfish individuals.”
On-the-spot fines of £80 will be issued to people who are seen spoiling
the borough’s streets and parks by dropping litter, dumping rubbish,
spitting or allowing their dogs to foul the streets.
The council has teamed up with Kingdom Security and Harrow Council
to provide dedicated teams of uniformed officers to patrol the streets of
both boroughs on a one-year trial basis.
Members of the public are obliged to give their name and address
to the officers when asked. It is a criminal offence to either supply
false details or refuse to give details and officers will be wearing body
cameras to help gather evidence. Failure to pay fixed penalty notices
could result in legal action being taken.
It is the start of a wider response to environmental crime in the borough
which will see council teams working alongside the police and members
of the public to improve the environment and public spaces. The cooperation with Harrow Council reflects the fact problems can spill over
the boroughs’ boundaries.
Residents can report littering and dog fouling online at
www.ealing.gov.uk/reportit
Councillor Mahfouz with officers from the police, council and Kingdom Security
Getting
a good
start
Our borough is
ranked sixth out of
132 local authorities in
the country for helping
very young disadvantaged
children to achieve a good level
of development, according to the latest
figures from Ofsted. Historically, children
eligible for free school meals are more likely to
start primary school at a stage of development
that is behind other children of the same age.
The latest figures show that, in 2014, 55%
of children aged five and younger receiving
free school meals in our borough achieved
a good level of development. This is a 6%
improvement on the previous year and puts
Ealing in the top 5% of local authorities. Read
the report at www.ofsted.gov.uk
Go WEST for help
A new service is offering unemployed people
in the north of the borough free training to help
them find a job. WEST (which stands for work,
education, support and training) has been set
up by Ealing Council with the support of the
Mayor of London. It aims to provide personalised,
intensive support to out-of-work residents to
enable them to progress into training or work.
The project is, at first, focusing on areas with high
levels of unemployment, starting with the Northolt
West End, Northolt Mandeville and Greenford
Broadway wards – and also unemployed residents
in temporary accommodation. But WEST could
be introduced in other parts of the borough.
Regular one-to-ones are run at Northolt Library
between 1-3pm on Thursdays, by appointment
only. To find out more, call 020 8825 8486 or
email [email protected]
around ealing
Winter 2015/16
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