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 Gareth Shaw, standing for Ealing Labour 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?
As a professional cricket groundsman, I have a passion for improving and protecting North Acton’s parks and open spaces, so they can be enjoyed by our community.
Raising my family in the borough, I understand the importance of brighter, safer streets, and strong public services.
I’ve worked with community organisations, including Pitzhanger Manor, helping bring people together and support culture and communities in Ealing. Having served as a councillor, I know how to get things done for local communities and have a strong record on delivering for residents and want to use that to benefit the people of North Acton.
What motivates you?
Delivering better public services, providing help and support when residents need it most and ensuring greater opportunities for residents to have control of what matters most to them.
What is your own personal connection to either North Acton or any other part of the borough?
Originally from Hull, I’ve lived in Ealing for 20 years with my wife, and our young daughter. Ealing is where I decided to raise my family, with its outstanding schools, amazing parks and green spaces, I am proud to call it my home.
What do you consider to be your 3 top political, work or personal achievements and what impact have they had?
My top 3 achievements would be:
Getting the Mattock Lane PSPO introduced to protect women from harassment when accessing health and advice services, we were the first authority to do so in the country. Others have now followed the idea, and it has been tested in the courts.
Making sure the most vulnerable residents in the borough are protected as far as possible from the cost-of-living crisis through one of the most generous council tax support schemes across London.
Helping establish a brand-new cricket ground and football pitches at Popesfield for Ealing Cricket Club, on which thousands of adults and children have played sport.
What do you consider to be the top 3 challenges North Acton ward faces and how will you as a councillor address them?
My top 3 priorities for North Acton are:
Protecting and improving our green spaces, I’m already working with the current Labour councillors in North Acton to make sure the improvements to both the North Acton, and Wesley playing fields are completed as soon as possible so children and young families can enjoy them over the summer.
Getting a better deal from HS2, we know that HS2 is having a massive impact on North Acton, and I want to make sure that the project remains conscious of residents’ concerns about traffic and noise, but also that it provides much needed jobs and opportunities for local people, especially young people.
Tackling fly-tipping, it’s a blight on our streets and the Labour council has already done some great work to not only clean up our streets but cut waste collection fees to make it easier for people to dispose of their waste. I want to go further and advocate for North Acton to be prioritised for the new Mega Skip scheme.
What do you love about North Acton ward and the borough of Ealing?
The diversity of the people, the beautiful green spaces and the range of housing and industry across North Acton ward.
It has all the elements of the wider Ealing Borough, from the huge landmark towers by North Acton station to low rise bungalows around North Acton playing fields and the traditional terraced workers cottages housing off old oak lane.
It is a microcosm of London itself, a cosmopolitan place where diversity is celebrated and communities united.
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 in North Acton deserve a representative who is available and responsive. I’m committed to working with Blerina and Hodan as the North Acton Labour team to support residents. If people want to contact me, they can do so via ealinglabourinfo+northacton@gmail.com
Click here for all North Acton ward by-election candidates standing.
