The Ealing Council Cabinet met on Wednesday, 11 March 2026, to discuss and approve several key programmes and services. Decisions were made regarding the fire door supply and installation programme, the Ealing Transport and Highways Programme for 2026/27, the commissioning of drug and alcohol treatment services, and increasing the supply of temporary accommodation.

Fire Door Supply and Installation Programme

The Cabinet agreed to procure a contract for fire door replacement and installation by conducting a mini-competition under Pretium's Building & Fire Safety Framework Agreement. Authority was delegated to the Strategic Director of Housing and Environment to award the contract and exercise any extension options. This decision was made to ensure compliance with fire safety regulations, including the Building Safety Act 2022, and to maintain the safety of residents in council housing stock. The chosen procurement route was favoured over other options due to its speed, cost-effectiveness, and the pre-assessed quality of contractors on the framework. The council has a legal duty to replace fire doors, and failure to do so could result in legal proceedings. The estimated cost over four years is £8.4 million.

Ealing Transport and Highways Programme 2026/27

A capital budget of £7.409 million was approved for the Transport and Highways Programme for 2026/27. This funding will be sourced from Transport for London (TfL) LIP Funding (£4.654m), Department for Transport (DfT) highway improvement funding (£1.635m), HS2 Safety Funding (£1.010m), and the Parking reserve (£0.110m). Additionally, £0.506m of TfL LIP revenue funding was approved. The programme aims to create an active, sustainable, efficient, and safe transport network, improving health through reduced pollution and increased active travel, and reducing traffic congestion. Authority was delegated to the Strategic Director of Housing and Environment to implement new Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs), revise the programme based on confirmed TfL grant levels, and to implement identified schemes, subject to consultation. A separate capital budget of £0.563m was also approved for a Department of Environment, Food, & Rural Affairs (Defra) new Food Waste Collection project, funded through the Food Waste Collection grant.

Ealing Community Adult and Young People Drug and Alcohol Treatment Service

The Cabinet agreed to directly award a contract to Change Grow Live Services Limited (CGL) for the provision of Adult and Young People's Community Drug and Alcohol Treatment Services for a term of five years, with an option to extend for a further two years. Authority was delegated to the Strategic Director of Adults and Public Health to exercise this extension option. This decision ensures the continued provision of statutory drug and alcohol treatment services, which are vital for vulnerable residents. CGL has been providing these services in Ealing for over ten years, with consistent positive feedback and evidence of meeting key performance indicators. The direct award was deemed the most appropriate commissioning route under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, as CGL is the incumbent provider and meets the qualifying requirements for a direct award. An open procurement process was considered but deemed less suitable due to the specialised nature of the service and the current provider's satisfactory performance.

Increasing the Supply of Temporary Accommodation

The Cabinet agreed to enter into leases with providers for ten years and one day to secure up to 400 units of temporary accommodation. Furthermore, an agreement was made to enter into a housing supply agreement to secure up to 200 units with the provider, Madison Brook. Authority was delegated to the Strategic Director of Housing and Environment to enter into these leases, housing supply agreements, and any ancillary legal documents, with the flexibility to amend them if necessary. This initiative aims to significantly reduce the council's annual temporary accommodation budget by improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of accommodation provided to homeless households. By securing longer-term leases, the council can claim higher housing benefit subsidy rates, leading to substantial cost savings compared to nightly-paid accommodation. The proposed arrangements are expected to generate significant cost savings over the life of the scheme, with the ten-year-plus lease option offering better value for money.