Liberal Democrats believe that Leisure and Sport are very important to the local economy and to the well-being of the community. Ealing has a fine tradition of supporting the arts and the borough is home to a number of tourist attractions and events like Pitshanger Manor Museum and Gallery, Questors Theatre, Ealing Summer Festival, and the rich multicultural heritage of Southall.
However, over recent years, both Labour- and Conservative- controlled councils have sold off a number of local recreational facilities in the borough. At the same time, many of the parks and playing fields have been neglected and are not fit for playing sport. Liberal Democrats will promote greater investment in sports and leisure facilities in the borough, and a wider choice of leisure and sporting activities for residents of all ages.
Liberal Democrats believe everyone should have the opportunity to explore their creativity through access to the arts and this should begin in schools. Arts education has been allowed to dwindle by successive councils and we would encourage schools, and particularly primary schools, to recruit more specialist arts teachers and give all children entitlement to an arts education. We would also like to see increased funding for music tuition so that all children in the borough have the chance to learn a musical instrument.
Arts can be of great value to all children, but particularly those with learning and behavioural difficulties. In the past few years, though, teachers have had less time to teach arts and recent studies have estimated that 41% of primary school teachers have been insufficiently trained to teach music and 25% to teach the arts.
Alongside a greater appreciation of local arts, we would increase funding for libraries, in particular to establish an improved Ealing Central Library. Ealing’s libraries are currently in a woeful state. An official report discovered that the books are too old, that on average it takes the council 13 years to replace them, and that there are only 20 computers when a borough this size should have 210. The Council also has fewer libraries per head of population than any other borough. We would also like more libraries to open on Sundays. Liberal Democrats believe libraries are a key service and the council is not doing enough to provide them.
Liberal Democrats would also continue to support the many existing local events like the Ealing Countryside weekend, the Canal and Heritage Fair, and the very popular Ealing Summer Festival which are held in the borough and we will create more events like this to celebrate the local culture. Above all, though, we will encourage greater involvement from residents, and more forums for residents to develop and express their talents and abilities.
Liberal Democrat Policy is to ensure that schools and local communities have good sports facilities. In the 1980s and 1990s many school sports fields were sold off to make money or to release space for new buildings. This has contributed to the decline in health amongst children, and British children are now amongst the unhealthiest in the western world — this urgently needs to be reversed. The dressing rooms at some sports facilities are left unlocked and unsupervised, and some have no working showers (or showers with missing heads) — this hardly encourages people to use them.
Our plan is to increase the sports facilities in schools and the amount of time devoted to sport in our schools. Promoting sport in schools and encouraging children to take up sport outside school is the best way to encourage healthy lifestyles from a young age. Schools do not have the resources to turn this around on their own, and so we will encourage Ealing Borough Council, local schools and sports clubs to share facilities.
At the same time we will give residents and children greater choice in what sporting activities they can participate in and include provisions to support all sports. Liberal Democrats will encourage sports sessions, courses, holiday activities and events catering for all residents and children in the borough, whatever their age or their interest. The range of activities on offer should allow something for everyone, whether you want a leisurely pursuit or a more vigorous, action packed activity.
Going to the gym is now the second most popular leisure activity in the area and Liberal Democrats will create and subsidise more health and fitness facilities like the new Dormers Wells Leisure Centre across the borough, as well as developing existing council-run sites. In particular, Ealing Borough Council is redeveloping Hanwell Community Centre and every effort should be made to rehouse all the clubs and activities that currently take place there during the refurbishment with the minimum of disruption. We will also encourage residents to use the Ealing Leisure Pass to reduce the cost of going to their local leisure centres, outdoor facilities and swimming pools and we will increase reductions for under 18s, full-time students, pensioners and those on income support.
Liberal Democrats want to introduce new ways and means for younger people to develop their talents and abilities. In particular, we want to see the growth and development of youth clubs and more activities catering for young people in the area. There are currently only seven youth clubs recognised by the council in the whole borough (Acrefield YC, Dormers Wells YC, Bollo Brook YC, Featherstone Dovetail YC, Park View YC, Ken Acock Youth and Community Centre, and the W13 Social Club). Liberal Democrats want to see more clubs set up across the whole of the borough and these clubs to be open more frequently. We will also introduce new environmental groups and develop existing groups like the Wildlife Watch to give young people an active involvement in caring for the local environment.
Liberal Democrats will continue to promote and subsidise existing local children’s events run by Ealing Borough Council. This includes the transformation of Ealing Town Hall into the magical Dragon Castle in Spring half-term, the many activities of Space Camp in the summer holidays, and the Greenford Children’s Festival in the autumn half-term. However, we will go further and set up more events across the borough, particularly during the holiday periods. Through greater investment in local libraries, we will also develop existing children’s library and arts events, and provide more access to computer facilities in local libraries to develop their IT skills.
Published by Martin Tod on behalf of Ealing Liberal Democrats all at 23 Fairlawn Court, Acton Lane, London W4 5EE. Printed and hosted by freenetname, 113 - 123 Upper Richmond Road, London SW15 2TL