From Rats to Rugby

Advice Surgery at St Gabriels Church Hall in North Acton, and issues raised by constituents include refuse collection, rats, housing and the newly agreed Controlled Parking Zone for the Gypsy Corner area (which incidentally is so named because it used to the first place outside of London where gypsies were allowed to park their caravans).

The good news is that two of these issues were raised as praise for action that I’ve managed to get from the Council. One was a longstanding case where black bags were not being collected weekly from a house but now are being.

More significantly, I was told that the perennial problem of rats in and around Western Avenue is now under control, thanks to vigorous action from the Council’s pest control team. A couple of years ago, I had responsibility for overseeing the work of the Council’s Environmental Health officers, and we organised a ‘Rats Summit’ to look at why the rat population was increasing and what could be done about it. Some old fogies at the Council sneered at the ‘Summit’ approach, but it was covered positively by the BBC, and the new approaches, action and investment that came out of it now seem to be making a difference. That said there is a big ‘painting the Forth Bridge’ element to rat control, and as long as people chuck their fast food on the street with abandon, the rats are going to return to Western Avenue.

You can find out more about rats and their control at the local environmental health site at http://www.ealing.gov.uk/services/environment/pests+and+nuisance/25b9ad6c-4d02-4fda-9e75-dfeeee23c77d.asp

Went on to the big cup game against Hertford at Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club. I’ve been associated with Ealing RFC since my Millennium Mayoralty, when I worked with them to achieve planning permission for their excellent new clubhouse – which I subsequently opened .
Ealing is one of the oldest rugby clubs in the world – founded in 1871. The story goes that the only reason that they weren’t founder members of the Rugby Union is that their delegate went to the wrong pub and missed the key meeting. For many years Ealing punched below their weight and history. That all changed with the arrival of Mike Gooley – the founder and chair of theTrailfinders travel company. Mike is a passionate rugby fan, and has brought money and enterprise into the club that has transformed it.

Phil's namecheck in the clubhouse (the pint of Ealing bitter is out of shot)

Ealing is now a thriving club, with sides for all ages and both genders, and large youth operation who regularly run big overseas tours. They are now based at the former GWR Sports Ground at Vallis Way in West Ealing – saved from housing development by my mate Cllr Steve Sears when he chaired the Council’s Environment Committee. The appeal of the rugby is added to in the clubhouse by the excellent ‘Ealing bitter’ brewed only for them by the Skinners brewery. Last season the first team were promoted into the London 1 league, and will now play some big name teams such as Richmond and London Scottish. Their website is at http://www.ealingrugby.co.uk/

An excellent afternoon spoiled only by the fact that Ealing lost 16-28. Nevertheless, they put up a creditable performance against a team in a national league, and for most of the game were only a converted try behind. Next week I’m going with a few mates to the big game of the season so far – away at Richmond, who Ealing beat in the last round of the cup.

Ealing (in the green and white) defend the line