Storm Doris Update for Ealing

UPDATED: 21:12 24/12

Details on fallen trees around the borough and action Ealing Council is taking to deal with them.  This post will be updated with the latest information.

Currently across the borough, we now have had 51 (formerly 37) reports of fallen trees.  Each incident is assessed and prioritised:

Priority A: Trees/branches that present an imminent risk to the public and those blocking major roads (10 incidents) – ALL NOW CLEARED

Priority B: Trees/branches that present an unreasonable risk to the public and those blocking roads and footpaths (21 incidents) – 3 to be done tomorrow

Prioirity C: Trees/branches that present an unreasonable risk but are away from roads and footpaths (12 incidents)

8 other trees reported and being inspected.

4 teams have been working on behalf of Ealing Council today targetting the Priority A incidents.  These have now all been cleared.

Work on Priority B incidents have mostly been completed and the three remaining trees will be completed Saturday.

Priority C and any D incidents will be started once all over the above has been cleared.

Remember, there are still many hazardous trees across the borough and the Council urges the public to be extremely cautious around these obstructions.  Aside from the obvious fallen trees and branches there are potentially many broken branches caught within the tree canopies so please exercise appropriate caution.  At this stage it looks like the clean up will take up the majority, if not the whole of next week too.

If you wish to report a damaged tree or other incident to Ealing Council, you can now do so using the new Ealing 24/7 app from the Apple and Android App stores, searching for “Ealing 24/7”.

Ealing’s hits record breaking recycling rates

Ealing continues to buck the national and city-wide trend of falling recycling rates.

The council is thanking residents for their continued hard work in helping the borough improve its recycling rates, which have risen by an impressive six percentage points since its successful alternate weekly collections service was launched in June.

The latest figures show the council is already meeting its target of recycling more than 50% of the borough’s household waste by 2018. Recycling rates have increased to 51.41%, up from 45.35% in 2015-16.

The tonnage of food waste recycled from homes across the borough has seen an increase of 54% compared to the same period last year, with 4676.74 tonnes recycled between June and January.

The council has changed the way household waste is collected last June, making it easier for residents to recycle. As a result of the changes, paper, plastic tubs and bottles, metal tins, foil, cans, glass, cardboard and much more can now be put straight into the blue wheelie bins without sorting. These are collected on alternative weeks, with rubbish stored in the black wheelie bins collected fortnightly, with green food waste collected every week.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure said: “Thank you to everyone who’s doing their bit to help us boost our record breaking recycling rates in the borough. We continue to buck the trend of falling recycling rates across London and England and I’m delighted that we’re well on course to hit exceed our ambitious 50% recycling target by 2018.

“The council remains committed to helping households recycle more and to do their part for the environment. These latest figures show that by working together with residents we can make a real difference.”

Residents can check their collection day and find out what they can recycle at www.ealing.gov.uk/bins.

Residents are also reminded that to recycle batteries and textiles, items should be bagged and placed on top of, or next to their bin.

Green food waste bins can be ordered at www.ealing.gov.uk/reportit.

On your marks for the Ealing Sports Awards

Do you know an outstanding sportsperson who deserves the plaudits? How about a great coach or sports club making a real difference in the community? Well now is the time to help recognise sporting achievements across the borough and give our local champions the credit they deserve.

You could win yourself a year’s free leisure membership just by nominating (from 20 February) someone for the new Ealing Sports Awards, which has been created by Ealing Council and local leisure provider Everyone Active. The inaugural event gives residents the opportunity to celebrate the hard work and dedication of local people playing and coaching sport across the borough.

You can nominate one of the many sports clubs, inspirational volunteers and sporting individuals for the awards, and the winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held on 13 July. All nine of the award categories are inclusive, and are open to any club, organisation, group, association, partnership or individual based in the borough.

The categories are:

• Junior Club of the Year
• Sports Club of the Year
• Coach of the Year
• Adult Volunteer of the Year
• Junior Volunteer of the Year
• Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award
• Inclusive and Active Award
• Adult Sports Person of the Year
• Junior Sports Person of the Year.

By making a nomination, your name will automatically be entered into a prize draw for a chance of winning a year’s free Everyone Active membership.

The Ealing Sports Awards ceremony will also include the hugely popular London Youth Games Reception which celebrates Team Ealing’s performance at the annual London-wide sports event, where young people have the opportunity to represent the borough in a wide range of different sports competitions.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, the council’s cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “We are blessed across the borough with exceptional and inspirational people helping people get active and involved through sports.

“The inaugural Ealing Sports Awards are all about recognising those in our local community that show dedication to the sports they love, and those that help others play, learn and discover sport.

“Ealing is one of the very best places in the capital to get involved with sport. With phenomenal individuals, clubs and facilities that engage people of all ages and backgrounds that are helping people of the borough lead healthier, happier, longer lives.

“Residents have a great opportunity to honour the athletes, coaches, clubs and organisations that really deserve acclaim and I encourage everyone to get their nominations in as soon possible.”

How do I nominate or find out more?

Nominations open on 20 February and close at midnight on 31 May and all short-listed nominees will be contacted by 9 June. For further information and to nominate someone for the Ealing Sports Awards, visit www.everyoneactive.com/EalingSportsAwards

Recycle that Christmas Tree

For the sixth year running Ealing Council is making it easier for residents to do the green thing and recycle their real Christmas trees.

A free kerbside collection service will operate between Wednesday, 28 December and Friday, 27 January for residents to have their real Christmas trees taken away for recycling. Trees will be collected every week on the same day as the refuse and recycling collections. Residents can go to www.ealing.gov.uk/recycling to find their collection day over the Christmas period.

Trees left out need to be smaller than 20cm in diameter and all the decorations should be removed. Those higher than 6ft will need to be cut in two before they can be collected.

Residents can also take real Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes to a number of drop-off points across the borough until Sunday, 12 February. Once again, trees must have all decorations removed.

Christmas tree drop-off points:

• Acton Green Common
• Acton Park
• Berkeley Fields (Berkeley Avenue)
• Churchfields, Hanwell (car park)
• Cleveland Park
• Ealing Central Sports Ground (Horsenden Lane South)
• Ealing Common (Junction of Grange Road and The Common)
• Elthorne Park (Boston Road)
• Islip Manor Park (Eastcote Lane car park)
• North Acton playing fields
• Perivale Park (Cowgate Road)
• Pitshanger Park
• Ravenor Park (Oldfield Lane South and Ruislip Road)
• Rectory Park (Parkfield Drive)
• Southall Park (Green Drive)
• Southfields Park
• Spikes Bridge Park (West Avenue)
• Springfield Gardens (Rosemont Road)
• Walpole Park (Lammas Park Gardens)

In addition, the council’s re-use and recycling centres will continue to accept garden waste, including Christmas trees, for composting. These centres are located at Stirling Road, Acton and Greenford Road, Greenford.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “Whether it’s excess food waste, packaging, or your Christmas trees – we are making it easier for you to recycle on your doorstep.

“This Christmas and New Year let’s have something else to celebrate as a borough as we look to increase our record recycling rates even further.

“All of the trees that we collect get turned into nutrient-rich compost so it’s a great way to get your new year off to a green start.”

For more information on recycling in Ealing, go to www.ealing.gov.uk/recycling.

Residents urged to take care in cold snap

A weather warning has been issued for London with very low temperatures and heavy frosts expected over the next few days. Residents are being asked to take care in the cold snap and to look out for elderly neighbours.

The Met Office has issued an alert about cold weather, with the lowest temperatures expected to occur between 6am on Wednesday, 4 January and Friday, 6 January.

Council gritters are on standby and will be sent out to grit primary routes across the borough to keep main roads moving whenever freezing conditions are forecast. Drivers are also being asked to take extra care.

The council is also asking residents to be good neighbours during the cold weather by checking that elderly or vulnerable people in their area are safe, warm and have essential supplies.

Residents who are concerned about keeping their homes warm can call Ealing Council’s Cold Weather Support in Ealing (COSIE) helpline to receive tips and information on how to keep their homes warm and their energy bills down. Additional support is also available for those who are struggling to pay their energy bills. Residents can call the COSIE Freephone number on 0800 083 2265 between Monday-Friday, from 9.30am until 5.30pm.

Anyone who is concerned about someone sleeping rough during the cold weather – or at any other time – can report it using the national Streetlink website http://www.streetlink.org.uk/ or by calling 0300 500 0914. The information will be sent to the local St Mungo’s outreach service, which is contracted by the council to contact and help rough sleepers (people who are sleeping outside such as in doorways, disused vehicles or stairwells).  Please give as much information as possible about the location at which the person is sleeping.

Fly-tip fines to drop onto doormats across Ealing

Cllr Bassam Mahfouz launching the new fly-tip enforcement teams

Ealing Council has this week added a fourth fly-tipping enforcement team and van to the three already out on the borough’s streets.

The new enforcement team and accompanying vehicle are the latest tactic being used by the council to tackle and deter fly-tipping. The specialist teams are aimed at discouraging, catching, and cleaning up after selfish individuals who flout the law by dumping waste on Ealing’s streets.

Since the launch of the alternate weekly collection service in June, the council has cracked down on fly-tipping and introduced a new higher rate fine of up to £400. Ealing was one of the first boroughs to adopt the higher rate fixed penalty notice as part of a London-wide crack down to keep the capital clean.

Since the fly-tip enforcement crews were launched, the teams have visited 763 streets in the borough to investigate fly-tipping and gather evidence. The fly-tips have been traced back to 1124 addresses and the council is now in the process of issuing Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) to those people.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “We now have four dedicated crews out and about on the streets of Ealing, identifying those people who fly-tip on our streets, gathering evidence to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £400. The vast majority of residents share our view that this sort of behaviour is appalling. We will not tolerate fly-tipping in our borough, those people who we have caught can now look forward to a hefty fine dropping onto their doormats very soon. You want to make a mess on our streets – we will find you and we will fine you.”

Residents are asked to report cases of fly-tipping using the online form at www.ealing.gov.uk/reportit or by calling the fly-tipping hotline on 020 8825 8825.

More information about the borough’s reuse and recycling centres, how to arrange a bulky waste collection and how to find scheduled collection days, is available at www.ealing.gov.uk/recycling.

Residents can check whether a waste clearance company is licensed and legal by entering their details at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register

Ealing’s efforts to improve air quality awarded

Ealing Council has been awarded the ‘Cleaner Air Borough’ (CAB) accreditation by the Mayor of London following a range of initiatives designed to monitor and reduce pollution in the borough.

All London boroughs are required to monitor air quality in their areas and take actions to improve it. They have to report on their progress every year. The CAB status is only given to boroughs that can prove they are effectively tackling the issue.

Much of Ealing’s pollution comes from its geographical location, with London and the south east generally suffering from poorer air quality than the rest of the country. However, its proximity to major roads such as the A40, A4020 and A406, the impact of diesel trains travelling through the borough plus local industrial sites also add to its problems, some of which can be addressed at a borough-level and some of which cannot.

The CAB accreditation recognises that many air quality issues are outside of the council’s influence, so it is not a measure of overall air quality. Rather it recognises how seriously the council takes the problem and gives credit for its achievements in making a difference where it can.

Ealing Council was particularly congratulated for its work with the Ealing Broadway Business Improvement District (BID) to reduce journeys made by waste collection vehicles in the town centre. A special scheme brought together 105 businesses to buy their waste collection and pest control services jointly, instead of buying them separately resulting in 8,650 fewer vehicle journeys over a year.

Previously, the council has also undertaken to include a ‘no idling’ trial in Acton and the replacement of traffic signals with mini roundabouts to reduce the levels of pollution emitted from idling vehicles. It also continues to fund and promote sustainable transport measures, especially support for and promotion of cycling.

In addition, the council drew up a low emission strategy for the goods yard in Horn Lane, Acton; which until recently was a pollution hotspot where air quality frequently exceeded EU limits. Under the strategy local industries signed up to a voluntary agreement on more effective dust management plans.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “The CAB accreditation recognises the work that we are doing to make the borough cleaner and safer for local people. Pollution is a silent killer and has a devastating effect on health, especially for children. We take the problem very seriously and are using a range of measures to tackle it.

“Unfortunately, many of the sources of pollution in the borough are outside of our influence, but we are working with local organisations and residents to make as much of a difference as we can and we will use our enforcement powers when people break the law. Local people can make a big difference by changing the way they travel. If more people switched to walking, cycling or public transport, especially for short journeys, it would help to reduce the levels of pollution, particularly in our town centres.”

For more information on the Cleaner Air Boroughs accreditation, go towww.london.gov.uk/airquality. Air pollution problems, including dust odours from commercial premises, can be reported online by going to www.ealing.gov.uk and searching ‘air quality’.