Philip James Lynch

Ealing Council was found by the local government ombudsman to have illegally housed a disabled pregnant woman and her child in unsuitable bed-and-breakfast accommodation for more than a year. The council failed to promptly assess the woman’s medical needs, preventing her from bidding on appropriate housing, and mishandled a later decision on her housing priority. The authority apologised and agreed to pay £6,150 in compensation and pledged procedural improvements to prevent similar cases.

Residents report a sharp rise in open drug use in Southall following the relocation of the RISE addiction service, while Ealing Council denies any connection and attributes the issue to broader factors including displacement from enforcement elsewhere. Councillors and residents disagree over consultation and the cause of the increase, prompting expanded police patrols around local hotspots. RISE continues to operate as part of the council’s statutory obligation to provide drug and alcohol treatment services.