Ealing Labour reject Lib Dem costed proposals to reverse Children's Centres closures and safe clean streets

Ealing Liberal Democrats priorities in this year’s budget were protecting children’s centres, a new housing approach, safe and clean streets and expand independent advice with a Citizens’ Advice Bureau (Ealing is the only borough in London not to have one).

At Ealing Council’s Full Council meeting on Tuesday 4 March 2025, Liberal Democrat Councillor Gary Busuttil – Shadow Finance Spokesperson put forward budget amendments to save nearly £1m.

Liberal Democrat amendments include:

• Securing funds to keep open Children’s centres across the borough (Ealing Labour are due to close them shortly)
• A reduction in temporary staff and a focus on developing skills/talent rather than relying on temporary staff to plug short term gaps.
• Saving money from inefficient spending.
• To provide a renewed focus on practically assisting residents through the expanding of independent advice services with a Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) to offer professional expert advice in the current challenging environment. They can offer national and local expertise on guiding residents through the current complexities. Ealing is the only London borough not to have a CAB.
• Housing is an area of significant concern, and the Liberal Democrats believe a longer-term focus and strategy is needed of which the first steps are a proactive campaign to engage sellers and secure units early (before they reach the market) rather than an ill-defined landscape of tall towers.
• The immediate local environment is something which we all wake up with every day and it is important to get the basics right, such as a renewed vigour and attention in street cleaning and leaf clearance.

At the Council meeting, Labour Councillors voted against the Liberal Democrat proposals, preferring to close these vital Children’s Centres against the wishes of many residents. Councillor Gary Malcolm, Leader of the Opposition, who spoke in the debate requested that the Labour Leader of the Council should apologise for the Councils publicly for a very poor record on Council Homes repairs, and huge numbers of damp and mould issues.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Gary Busuttil, Shadow Finance Spokesperson said: “Liberal Democrats are proposing package of fully costed and practical measures to improve the lives of many in Ealing. Measures include firstly establishing an improved advice service through Citizens Advice, free to residents to help them with benefits, debt and the cost of living, ensuring that all Children’s Centres are kept open, making sure our streets are cleaner and tackling fly tipping and encouraging more recycling especially of electrical items. Finally, an essential new approach to enabling a sourcing of properties for purchase from landlords wanting to exit the market to bolster the address Temporary Accommodation woes. Ealing Labour have been in charge for the last 15 years and they seem to have run out of ideas. It’s time for change. It’s time for the Liberal Democrats to run Ealing Council.”

Councillor Jonathan Oxley, Shadow Children Spokesperson (Education, Children's Services, Special Educational Needs, Fostering and Looked After Children) said: “Liberal Democrats see the children’s centres as precious public assets providing critical services to mums and dads including child-care, health visits and nursing, midwifery and mental health services. It is important to get more people into work and early years children services are important in doing this. It is therefore bizarre, that our Labour-run Ealing Council is undermining this objective by closing half of our children’s centres. Ealing Labour are stale and been in charge for too long and people want change.”