The Economy and Sustainability Scrutiny Panel of Ealing Council met on 1 July 2025 to discuss panel operations, sustainability and resilience, and preventative work. The panel was scheduled to review its work programme and terms of reference, and to consider strategies for climate resilience and supporting vulnerable communities.

Sustainability and Resilience

The panel was scheduled to discuss a report from the Climate Action & Sustainability Team regarding climate adaptation and resilience. The report noted that the effects of climate change are already being felt, with the primary effects in London being heavier rains and severe heatwaves. It stated that Ealing was assessed by the University of Manchester as the ninth most 'socially vulnerable to high heat' borough in the country, due to its population and urban environment.

The report stated that the council's approach involves maximising the 'win-wins', building on synergies between decarbonisation and climate resilience. For example, nature-based solutions both draw in carbon dioxide and have a cooling effect on the urban environment.

The main climate risks facing the borough were listed as severe floods, heatwaves and drought. The report included maps highlighting areas of Ealing where efforts to build climate resilience need to be prioritised.

The report also detailed the work of the Ealing Climate Adaptation & Resilience Programme (CARP), which commenced with a stakeholder forum in December 2024. Workshops were conducted based on four themes that correlate with the National Adaptation Plan (NAP3): natural environment, built environment and infrastructure, business and industry, and healthy communities.

The workshops were intended to improve understanding of climate risks in Ealing, knowledge gaps, and existing work on resilience. They also aimed to identify enablers and barriers to delivering climate adaptation and resilience, and to promote collaboration between internal and external stakeholders.

The next steps for the programme include developing a Resilient Ealing Strategy, which will outline existing actions, guidance on outcome-based priority workstreams, and an evidence base for financial applications.

Preventative Work

The panel was scheduled to discuss a report on collaborative work by the Climate Action & Sustainability, Learn Ealing, and Work Ealing teams to support the borough's most vulnerable and marginalised communities. These communities often face both socioeconomic challenges and the impacts of climate change. The teams are working to increase the resilience of these communities to prevent the worst possible impacts of social exclusion and climate change.

The report outlined the role of the Regeneration, Economy & Skills department in delivering the Council Plan strategic objective on 'creating good jobs'. This includes targets for new job opportunities, qualifications and training graduations, apprenticeships, and supporting residents with barriers to employment.

The Work Ealing and Learn Ealing services focus on the prevent, reduce, delay (PDR) framework, aligned with the council's Health & Wellbeing Strategy 2023 – 28. This involves proactively addressing the educational, employment, and training needs of individuals to prevent them from entering a crisis caused by a lack of decent living income.

• Prevent: Proactive steps to stop needs from arising, such as promoting healthy lifestyles and providing information about services.
• Reduce: Minimising the severity or impact of existing needs through early intervention and support.
• Delay: Postponing the need for more intensive care and support by helping individuals remain independent for longer.

The report included data on economic inactivity in Ealing, highlighting disparities between ethnic groups and the lingering effects of the pandemic. It also mentioned the council's support for Ealing's Race Equality Commission, particularly in incentivising businesses to report on ethnicity pay gaps.

The report presented a case study on Spark!, a charity working across west London to improve young people's employment prospects. Spark! partners with schools, colleges, and employers to enhance young people's employability skills and provide work experience opportunities.

The report also included a case study on a Temporary Accommodation Pilot, partnering with the Housing Solutions department to provide bespoke employment support to residents living in temporary accommodation at The Barn in Ruislip.

The report outlined how PDR interlinks with climate resilience, including better health, greater equity, better preparedness to climate shocks and stresses, connected communities, and better jobs.

Panel Operations

The panel was scheduled to agree its work programme and note responses to recommendations made at the previous meeting. The draft work programme included a focus on the economy at the meeting on 18 September 2025, and a focus on housing at the meeting on 18 November 2025.

The panel was also scheduled to agree on co-option and external engagement arrangements, and to agree on the terms of reference. The terms of reference state that the scope of the panel is to scrutinise matters relating to the local economy and environmental sustainability of the borough.