MILLIONS of pounds have been pledged to save Southall as Ealing Council swings into action with one of the biggest regeneration projects seen in recent years.

Council leader Julian Bell announced the £5.5 million cash boost during an major meeting to help map out a gameplan for long-term improvement.
Alongside a car park, money will go into improving the town centre, transport links and parks.

And Chief Superintendent Andy Rowell, police commander for Ealing, pledged to crack down on drugs, alcohol, prostitution and fly-tipping in Southall.

Ealing Southall MP Virendra Sharma opened the meeting, held at The Dominion Centre in The Green last Thursday.

He said: “This is going to be the first, but not the last, meeting in which we will plan the future of Southall. The aim is for all of us to work together to help secure the future of the area.”

Mr Bell said that despite heavy cuts, the council was determined to help, though he acknowledged he would need the help of residents and businesses.

He said: “There's a will and there's an aspiration and that is why we should press on and work together. The whole point of tonight is that we actually want people to tell us how we should tackle the problems that Southall has.”

And he was joined by Ealing Council deputy leader Ranjit Dheer, who urged different social, economic and religious groups to join forces.

Mr Rowell, who said he had links to Southall as his mother had been born there, was “saddened” by recent deterioration and wanted to fix it.

He said: “I can't do this alone but overall it's the community and businesses that will support what we are trying to achieve.”

Mr Bell said another meeting would be held in about six months time but in the meantime, smaller groups would meet to focus on issues like health and transport.The meeting was met with a mixed reaction from locals.

Dlibagh Singh Chana MBE, a long-time resident of Southall said: “The council has come together and I wish them well but it needs a lot of energy and a lot of co-operation. Some of us have heard this sort of talk before.”