There is now one year until the next set of local elections where local residents will choose who runs Ealing council for the next four years.

Labour has been running Ealing council for the last three years and we have achieved a great deal in that time whilst having to deal with the bleakest financial landscape in local government in living memory. We can sum up our main achievements in four points:

First is the council tax freeze - we have frozen council every year since we returned to power and we will freeze it again next year. We all know that we are facing tough times, we have unprecedented Government cuts, a lacklustre economy and wages failing to keep pace with inflation. All this is resulting in a real squeeze for people in Ealing and our council tax freeze shows that we understand the pressures people are facing. The council tax freeze is worth £108 in real terms to the average family. We are demonstrating what Labour values are all about at the same time that the Conservatives cut taxes for millionaires.

The second key point is that we are continuing to protect services for the vulnerable despite an £85m government cut to our budget. Our budget analysis shows that 71% of all of our savings come from efficiencies, management cuts, increased revenue and changes to contracts. Only 29% have come from reductions to services. This shows how we are prioritising the frontline whilst saving money. We have protected the council’s youth service, Children's Centres and care packages for vulnerable adults.

Thirdly we have made huge investments even in these tough times. We are spending over £260m on providing new school places. The council itself is providing over £103m of this money. We are also providing £18m for the new Acton town hall complex that will include a new swimming pool, leisure centre, library and community facilities, and money for road resurfacing, footpath repairs and shopping parade improvements across the Borough. Labour is delivering the capital investment that the people of the borough want.

Finally even in these times of unprecedented Tory led Government cuts we are improving the performance of the council. We are improving school standards, estate satisfaction and the recycling rate. 80% of residents think the council is doing a good job and 70% think the council is well run, also 70% of our key performance indicators have improved.

This amounts to a solid record of achievement for Labour whilst we have run the council. Although we are not complacent and realise there is more work to do I feel that we have protected the borough from the ravages of a Tory led Government whilst demonstrating a positive alternative to Tory cuts. In a years’ time I hope people will remember that Labour is delivering for Ealing.