On 7 May 2026, residents in the Hanwell Broadway ward will vote to choose who represents them at Ealing Council.
EALING.NEWS has asked all candidates standing to become a councillor, 7 questions about who they are, what they hope to deliver and why they want residents to vote for them.
Here’s what Andrew Walkley, standing for Ealing Green Party in Hanwell Broadway, has to say:
What motivates you?
My parents were a great inspiration. They both held strong beliefs but also acted upon them to support others in the community. Reflecting on their lives I felt I could make more of an effort to participate in politics/community and not just talk about it. Apart form that, people and curiosity are my main motivations. How are things working at the moment? Can we change things for the better? How can we involve people in that change?
What is your own personal connection to either Hanwell Broadway or any other part of the borough?
I moved to Northfields three years ago when I got remarried. My wife has lived and worked in Ealing for many years. Since moving here, I’ve got involved in the community in different ways. As well as joining the Green Party, I started volunteering for the Felix Project, I’ve joined a local football group and the Ealing Book Tree book club, and I participate in various other voluntary and community events when I can.
What do you consider to be your 3 top political, work, or personal achievements and what impact have they had?
As a relatively recent participant in politics, I can’t say I have any great achievements! Sadly, joining protests against the genocide in Gaza did not result in the protection of innocents or stability in the region but sometimes we just hav to show solidarity. On a personal level, it would be raising my two kids in two different countries and advocating for my parents’ care. Workwise, I run a small business providing materials and training for English Language Teaching. We have managed to survive for ten years despite shocks from COVID, BREXIT, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and increasing competition from online platforms.
The impact of all these things has been to reinforce the sense that there is nothing more important than a secure home, good health and the support of friends and community. We need to choose to have a politics and economy serving people’s real needs, not people serving the economy.
What do you consider to be the top 3 challenges Hanwell Broadway faces and how will you as a councillor address them?
The number one priority for residents is that when they contact their councillor, they receive a prompt response and support in negotiating with professional council staff to resolve issues.
When talking to residents they also consistently talk about the following:
Feeling (and being) safe in the ward
Austerity has led to so many public services for young people, mental health, housing, and community policing being damaged – and the result is clear to see. We understand the council may have limited room to restore these services, but we would seek to oppose further cuts and support preventative measures. But we also know the immediate problem needs to be addressed and we would work with police and make sure they are taking issues seriously. We’d also challenge developments, such as the 24 hr ‘Slots’ Casino at the Clocktower in Hanwell Broadway, which can be associated with anti-social behaviour. We need to explore how we can support new businesses in Hanwell and West Ealing that serve community needs rather than exploit gambling addictions.
Deteriorating public environment
We can also reduce anti-social behaviour and feelings of insecurity by improving our environment and encouraging more use of our public spaces. As councillors, we would continue to work with existing community groups who are already working hard to maintain their local environment. We need to look at current provision and would support solutions to fly-tipping such as mobile units and access to the recycling centre in Greenford. We will continue to campaign for green spaces such as Warren Fram and provide the challenge to the council so that projects such as the SUDs in Lammas Park are not mis-managed so badly. We would support road safety for pedestrians and cyclists, whilst recognising concern that car drivers have and engaging residents to make changes work.
Housing
As above, our first priority would be to support residents with housing problems to get what they need from the council or housing association/developer. We would continue to oppose poor developments like Trumpers way that are contravening the council’s own development plan. We would also oppose the growth in student accommodation and HMOs/co-living developments in West Ealing that are not providing long-term solutions. However, we recognise that the housing crisis can’t be solved without public funding and a public developer. We would push Ealing Council to lobby for this change. We’d also hold them to account for failures to enforce licensing and developers’ Section 106 payments to improve local services.
What do you love about Hanwell Broadway and the Borough of Ealing?
I’ve found it easy to settle here thanks to the people I’ve met. The green spaces of Ealing are just fantastic and need to be cherished. As a regular walker – and occasional runner – it’s amazing to be able to go from Ealing Broadway to Richmond or Osterley and only briefly go on a road. And despite the obvious struggles of West Ealing Broadway, there are some great independent food stores there where I regularly shop.
How accessible will you be to Hanwell and West Ealing residents and how can they get in contact with you now and if elected how will you ensure you are accessible to them in the future?
As mentioned already, our first priority is to improve communication between residents and the council. We can be currently contacted on hanwellbroadway@ealing.greenparty.org.uk along with our other Green party candidates. Over the last couple of years, we have been knocking on doors at least once a month and we plan to continue to reach out to residents directly in this way after the election. We will also have our regular surgeries, and we would like to find other ways of having contact with residents, for example through regular community litter picks or other community action.
Click here for all Hanwell Broadway candidates standing.
Full coverage of the 2026 Ealing Council local elections and candidates standing can be found here.
