Leader ’ s Notes
‘ For too many , a hard day ’ s work doesn ’ t lead to a decent day ’ s pay .’
Councillor Peter Mason Leader of the council
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit us all hard in many ways – the terrible death toll , friends and family or ourselves contracting the virus , plus the lost months of lockdown . There are real concerns , too , about the long-term impacts of the pandemic , particularly on jobs and incomes . The crisis hit some sectors and types of work harder than others , including a massive impact on some of our huge local employers , like Heathrow Airport . This has made the income disparity in our borough even worse than before . At one end of our borough , the average household income is around £ 73,000 a year . At the other end , in Southall or Northolt , it can be as little as £ 42,000 . For too many Ealing residents , a hard day ’ s work doesn ’ t lead to a decent day ’ s pay . Thousands of working people in our borough rely on benefits to make ends meet , or work in insecure , precarious employment . Everyone in Ealing should be able to thrive , not simply survive on the breadline . Ensuring decent living incomes for all is the silver bullet to so many issues – it tackles poor housing and reduces health inequalities . That ’ s why so much of the focus of this edition of Around Ealing ( from p10 ) is on how we are helping and supporting people into good jobs and to boost their skills . You can read about our Plan for Good Jobs , how we are supporting apprentices of all ages , the opportunities that the green economy offers , and where you can find career support . To be successful at securing decent living incomes for all , we also need to provide the right environment for business to prosper in the borough , enabling them to create good jobs . So many great local businesses have struggled through the pandemic , especially those who rely on our high streets . So , it ’ s great to see the work that our High Streets Taskforce has done to help businesses re-open safely and to encourage people to get back to their local shops and businesses – something that I ’ d really urge everyone to do this festive season . We ’ re working hard to support small and medium sized enterprises , but we ’ re also working closely with our major employers too – talking to them about how we can co-operate on some of the big issues , like encouraging take-up of the London Living Wage across all the sectors of our economy ; supporting the green transition as we work to tackle the climate crisis ; and building sustainable communities where local businesses have a stake in making them a great place to live and work . In Ealing , we ’ re still the Queen of the Suburbs . It ’ s a key part of who we are . But we ’ re also proud of our history as a borough of industries , creators and makers , whether that ’ s Southall ’ s role as London ’ s bread basket , the high-tech manufacturing of Greenford and Northolt , or Ealing ’ s role in the cultural sector . We need a new vision that encompasses that as a key part of our borough ’ s future , delivering more jobs , not simply more homes . We want to be a place where people come to live and work , with great green spaces and culture to enjoy as well . That ’ s why we ’ ve recently launched Shaping Ealing ( see pages 6-7 ). This is a big conversation about the fundamental question on how you want to see Ealing change for the better . The pandemic has been a huge upheaval , which has changed how many of us live or work , possibly for ever . Shaping Ealing is about providing the space for the council to engage with you on how we shape our borough to meet that change and encourage more great jobs locally . Please do take part and let us know what you want for the future of our borough .
around ealing Winter 2021 5