Councillors raise concerns over Ealing Council's resident communication and accessibility
Councillor Ajay Roy has voiced significant concerns over Ealing Council's communication with residents, highlighting issues with delayed officer responses and the need for more accessible communication channels, particularly for those struggling with technology.
The concerns were raised during a Strategy and Change Scrutiny Panel meeting on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. Councillor Roy detailed instances where residents email councillors with issues, who then forward these to officers, only to face significant delays in receiving replies. We are having little bit issues and problem with the officers, like resident emailing to us for an issue, and we are emailing back to the officers. And we are not receiving reply on time, and cannot go back to the residents, and cannot give answers,
he stated.
Councillor Jags Sanghera echoed these sentiments, pointing out that some of our residents find it very difficult with the current technology.
He added that while those who want technology have many options, I still think we're missing so many people who are disconnected.
Councillor Roy further elaborated that some residents, they are struggling to contact the council, because they are not, some older generation, not very good at technology. So, they are coming back to the local councillor, and as a councillor, we go to the officers, and sometimes we are struggling to find the solution.
Councillor Shaira Karimi also emphasised the importance of communication, calling for more work with or more initiatives amongst the councillors and the officers just to be sure that we are doing of delivering for the residents and we are on the same page.
She also recommended more work on term in terms of including advanced technology in our work it's extremely important to keep up with the market... and not only in delivering internally but also in terms of connecting with the residents and the wider community.
Councillor Roy also noted that traditional communication methods, such as the Round Ealing
magazine, remain important for reaching residents who may not be digitally connected. Councillor Sanghera highlighted the success of this publication as a key communication tool.
The meeting acknowledged that the council needed to do better
regarding unanswered emails and residents' inability to contact the council, with improving this being high on the agenda for the Change Portfolio.
The council is also exploring ways to enhance its contact centre and customer service. The Connected Communities
agenda, which includes initiatives like the Learning Academy,
aims to improve resident engagement and foster collaboration.
Further details on the meeting's discussions can be found in the Public reports pack for the Strategy and Change Scrutiny Panel.