LAST weekend I was walking along the streets of Southfield ward where I am a councillor, in order to deliver the regular Liberal Democrat FOCUS newsletter and noticed many issues that were subsequently reported:

â— Blenheim Road had some loose paving meaning that some people will trip up especially as the darker nights draw in. Labour-run Ealing Council did change the qualification of what it calls a trip hazard a few years ago so that fewer trip hazards will require action meaning that the Council can bury its head in the sand as more residents trip up.

â— Unswept leaves along The Avenue and more examples of trip hazards were seen and reported using the Council app (Love Clean Streets). This is the result of Ealing Labour deciding it is a good idea to sweep leaves instead of once every week to once every 13 weeks.

â— A housing block on Carlton Road - there was a large, stagnant puddle of water from a leak which attracted many flies - residents forced to be around unsanitary conditions. When dark this again could be another trip hazard.

â— Massive puddle of water due to uneven pavements along The Avenue - when the E3 buses go through them, the pedestrians get wet - it happened to my partner!

Is this what Southfield residents deserve?

It is clear that Ealing Labour are getting their priorities wrong.

Instead of focusing their energies into the 'white elephant' ideological projects like LTNs and the Fishers Lane scheme, Liberal Democrats believe it is time to go back to the bread and butter of how a council best serves its residents including clean streets, bins collected on time and safe council accommodation.

Liberal Democrats believe that these types of issues are quick and relatively easy to fix, improve residents' lives dramatically, and should be resolved much, much quicker.

I strongly suggest other councillors walk around the streets of their ward, inspect what goes on and report it to the council officers so they can come around to fix it.

After all, this is what they are elected to do.

Another suggestion for Labour is to stop being complacent, knock on the doors in your ward and actually listen to issues residents are facing.

Old school community politics like this can feel strenuous to some, but many residents do not know where to seek help so it is essential we as councillors to actively reach out.

Liberal Democrat councillors in Southfield have been doing this throughout the summer and for decades!

Liberal Democrat councillors will never abandon the bread and butter of local politics: focus on the community by continuing to do our regular street inspections and make it our mission to clean up Southfield, reach out via regular newsletters, and knocking on the doors in your neighbourhood to listen to your views.

*This article is part of the weekly column provided to Ealing Nub News by the leader of the Ealing Liberal Democrats, Councillor Gary Malcolm.

• The leaders of the other two main Ealing parties (Labour and Conservatives) have also been offered that opportunity, but so far have chosen not to take it.