On 25 June 2026, residents in the North Acton ward will vote in a by-election 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 Marijn van de Geer, standing for Ealing Green Party in North Acton has to say:
Tell us a bit about yourself, your priorities for the North Acton ward and why you want to be councillor?
My name is Marijn (pronounced “Mah-rhine”), and I’m standing for the Green Party in North Acton. I believe politics should be led by ordinary people, not career politicians, and that public office should be about serving the common good.
Having lived in Acton for nearly 19 years, I’ve seen a pattern of poor decision-making by Ealing Council: The relentless development of the Acton area, the lack of support, scrutiny and justice for the people affected by HS2, shutting down of key community services such as children’s centres, and just the lack of response to residents emails and pleas for help. Much of this harm feels avoidable. And don’t even get me started on the loss of so many of our old established trees, that decrease temperatures in the extreme heat, absorb water during extreme rainfall.
As a councillor, I would ask: why are we not listening to residents, protecting the vulnerable, and working with the knowledge already present in our communities? North Acton is full of active grassroots groups—we should be collaborating with them, not sidelining them.
I work for a nature conservation charity soon to move over to an animal rights organisation, I cycle everywhere, and volunteer with animal and wildlife rescue organisations. I’ve previously stood in local elections and was the Green Party’s candidate for Ealing and Hillingdon in the 2021 London Assembly elections.
Earlier in my career, I supported asylum seekers and worked in international development, where I saw how inequality, conflict, and environmental damage are interconnected. This drives my belief that local action must contribute to a fairer, more sustainable world.
What motivates you?
Speaking to residents on the doorstep, hearing their issues and the things they have been through – a lot of it is making my blood boil. It is driving me to win this election and get to work for people who have put up with so much and have been failed every step of the way.
I do believe that real change requires both leadership and community action. While we need councils to listen and act, we also need to take responsibility ourselves. So many people in North Acton have been doing that already. Residents groups have formed, trying to fight against the bigger, richer developers and decision makers. I want to help them by being their voice in the council, showing that there is a whole community out there working hard, and they should be celebrated and rewarded, not shut down.
What is your own personal connection to either North Acton or any other part of the borough?
I moved here in my early 20s and have now lived in the borough for nearly half my life. I sometimes think what 24 year old me would have thought if I had known back then that I would put down such firm roots here. I am part of the community, made such incredible friends here and I just love living here. My connection to Acton I guess is that it is my home, and I am very happy that it is!
What do you consider to be your 3 top political, work or personal achievements and what impact have they had?
When I ran as the Ealing and Hillingdon London Assembly candidate, together with the amazing Ealing and Hillingdon Greens’ help, I feel like I really managed to put the Green Party on the map in this area. We did really well, with the most votes we’ve ever had in the London Assembly elections. The next year I stood in Hanwell with Neil and Kate for the council elections, and again we did incredibly well. I am very proud of that campaign, because, even though we didn’t win, we increased our votes significantly and became serious contenders in the area. I am so proud of Natalia, Clare and Andrew who are now our new Green councillors for Hanwell, and we got Husam in South Acton to boot!
I am proud that I have learned to be brave and stand up for justice, finding myself surrounded by some of the bravest and inspirational people alive today. I am incredibly proud to have been part of a movement that changed the inadequate conversation around climate ‘change’ to the serious debate we needed around the climate emergency. It still isn’t good enough, but the dial certainly has been turned up compared to what it was.
And on a much smaller scale, but equally significant, I am very proud of the tiny lives I have saved over the years looking after rescue animals, from kittens to pigeons to jackdaws and moorhens. It may seem like a small drop in an ocean, but every life is worth saving, and every little furry, feathery life I save I feel is time incredibly well spent. It also helps keep me going when everything else around me seems too big and overwhelming at times. It is good to move between the hyper local and global regularly, to make sure we don’t lose perspective.
What do you consider to be the top 3 challenges North Acton ward faces and how will you as a councillor address them?
Overdevelopment, HS2, crime/safety, although they would be closely followed by litter and fly tipping as well as protecting, restoring and enhancing our green spaces and urban wildlife. And actually the number one issue I am hearing on the doorstep: a council that is not on the side of the residents, councillors who do not respond to emails and are not helping.
I think the last one is the easiest: I intend to be on the ground, zooming around on my bicycle to meet residents where they are. I will get back to you if you email me, I will come and see you if you need me. I will be a voice for the people of North Acton, unhindered by any whip or greedy party lines.
Overdevelopment is harder, because many of these plans have been in the making for over a decade and will be hard if not impossible to stop. But I can certainly fight for compromises, things that developers and the council can do for the residents deeply impacted by years and years of dust, noise, light pollution, drilling, banging, vibrations. Compensation is needed, whatever that will look like. Apologies and admitting of fault. The way North Acton has been treated is completely unacceptable, and I will not rest until we get some justice. Also: where is the latest S106 report? What has all the money been spent on that developers are giving to the council? I have yet to speak to residents who have been asked for their opinion where the money should go. Doesn’t seem right to me!
With HS2 it is much the same – the complete impunity with which HS2 has been operating, destroying people’s lives, is unbelievable. The least sustainable high speed project we have ever seen, it is not good for the planet, not good for nature, not good for people. It should never have started, but we’re in this mess now, so where do we go from here? I intend to work closely with the various residents groups who I have been fortunate enough to already be talking to and make a plan.
In terms of crime and the safety for the residents, yes I do believe there is a role for the police to play, but there is also a longer term angle where the council plays a vital role: what is happening in this area, who are the people committing crimes, displaying anti social behaviour. Why are they behaving like this? And are there things we can do? Is it connected to public services shutting down? Do we need more resources like training, CV clinics, support with domestic situations, to help people turn away from crime? How does it work, who is already working on this, how can we pool it all together and work on something constructive. I believe this would be something very much on the grassroots level, working with groups and charities who are already working on this and seeking their wisdom and listen to the residents impacted.
What do you love about North Acton ward and the borough of Ealing?
I already knew North Acton fairly well, or so I thought! Over the last few weeks I have discovered even more amazing little areas that are quaint and unique, full of history. North Acton boasts some really tight knit communities, which is so special in London where everyone always says they don’t know their neighbours. Not in these North Acton streets! People have been so welcoming, I have been invited in for cups of tea and chats, I never expected this! Thank you to everyone for your kindness.
Acton is a really fun place to be! So many nice restaurants and cafes (shout out to Harry’s Cafe and The Foundry Collective that have been sustaining me throughout the campaign), independent cinemas like ActOne cinema, green spots like North Acton Playing Fields or Springfield Gardens on a nice day, I was excited to see community gardening happening there and hoping to join in soon, or a stroll along the Grand Union Canal (although HS2 is doing a good job at ruining this for us, but anyway). This is a special place to live. It deserves the council’s full attention and support. That’s what I intend to get.
How accessible will you be to North Acton ward 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?
Residents can contact me now at marijn@ealinggreenparty.org.uk.
Click here for all North Acton ward by-election candidates standing.
