Around 100 people joined Southall’s Februrary 9th Day of Action and the campaign to retain Southall Town Hall as a hub for the Southall community. Flags and banners made for a highly colourful demonstration which attracted the attention of London ITV cameras and local media reporters ExposureBox. The Town Hall is the home to the Southall Community Alliance which plays a vital role in bringing together groups from across…
Victoria Hall Second Consultation
You may have heard that the Council issued a second consultation on the Victoria Hall Trust. The closing date is March 2nd. This move took everyone by surprise as it was not explained how the two consultations relate to one another. Many who had responded to the first consultation contacted Ealing Voice asking whether they should respond again. We therefore contacted the Council to ask them what we should do….
Campaign to Save Southall Town Hall steps up a gear
Campaigners in Southall are intensifying their opposition to the disposal of their Town Hall which, while surplus to the Council’s needs, is used locally as a crucial resource that provides a centre for community groups supporting those on the margins of the Borough’s society. Southall Town Hall dates from a similar period to the Ealing Town Hall. It was built at a time of civic pride and a belief in…
Ealing Town Hall – WILL THEY, WON’T THEY?
As the council grows increasingly desperate to save its awful deal to give away our much loved town hall to hotel developer Mastcraft, in exchange for a couple of million pounds to spruce up offices for councillors, there is a new consultation in town. As published in this week’s Ealing Gazette – the Council is now admitting plans to give away the assets of the Victoria Hall Trust, and trying…
Victoria Hall Trust Consultation – FOI LATEST
The consultation, which is currently due to finish on 9th February, has already been extended twice by Ealing Council as it struggles to put together and release important information requested under FOI (Freedom of Information). We have now had to raise a complaint about the FOI response and ask that if the outstanding questions are not answered in full by Friday 2nd February then the consultation is extended again. Ealing…
Southall Town Hall also under threat
A separate campaign is underway to save Southall Town Hall which the Council wants to offload to a faith group on a 250 year lease. Southall Town Hall has long associations with the history and development of Southall and its communities. It is now the last remaining public building in the town and serves as a busy hub hosting local organisations and businesses who provide vital services to the Southall…
Consultation period extended to Feb 9th
There is a further extension to the Council’s consultation on its planned changes to the Victoria Hall Trust. This follows representations from Ealing Voice that essential information about the Trust’s accounts, the extent of its assets and the proposed terms of their disposal is not in the public domain. The new deadline for comments is now February 9th. It gives the Council more time to assemble the missing information and…
Victoria Hall Consultation latest
Feedback to EV is that this is a tricky subject to get your head around. Just what are the grounds for objection? EV has therefore prepared a one page sheet which sets out the case as succinctly as possible, and lists 5 possible reasons to object. Feel free to use any of this material when writing your objection – but bear in mind that it always looks better if you…
Haven Green
Following a four week public inquiry in 2017, a planning inspector found that the Council was quite wrong to claim the Cycle Hub had been constructed as a recreational facility for people enjoying Haven Green. He also said that the CCTV cameras that the Council had installed were unlawful and should be removed. However, he went on to say that the additional passengers using Ealing Broadway Station meant there were…
Victoria Hall Trust – HAVE YOUR SAY
In 2016 Ealing Council announced a deal to dispose of most of the Town Hall to a private developer to convert into a boutique hotel. The Victoria Hall and Princes Rooms underneath it form part of the deal. The Council would only keep the east wing with the Council Chamber and marriage rooms. The deal was met with much dismay. People said the Council had no right to dispose of…