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 Clare Welsby, standing for Ealing Green Party in Hanwell Broadway, has to say:
What motivates you?
People, children and families. Making a difference, supporting my community and challenging the socially and environmentally destructive path we are on. The Green Party reflects my values of: “a healthy society is based on voluntary co-operation between empowered individuals in a democratic society, […]’ ( 7th of 10 Green Party core values January 2024)”
Having very recently experienced as part of the Save Ealing Children’s Centres Campaign how difficult it was for the community to challenge the current Labour-led council, on this and many other concerns, I decided to stand myself as a candidate for election. As a long-standing Green Party member, I have been knocking on doors for many years, listening to residents, supporting local groups and assisting people where I could. I am very aware of residents’ disappointment and dissatisfaction with this current Labour majority council. Not being listened to, or communicated with, services being degraded and concerns about Labour’s policy direction locally and nationally.
What is your own personal connection to either Hanwell Broadway or any other part of the borough?
I have lived in Hanwell for 20 years, over 13 of these in the Hanwell Broadway Ward. I have had family connections in Hanwell for much longer. I have worked in public services since 1991 and in early years services, leading children’s centre services in Ealing from 2006 to 2021; and between 2021 and 2024 promoting inclusion for young people with additional needs in Ealing in all aspects of their lives. I continue to contribute to services for people in a voluntary capacity. I have been a volunteer at Ealing’s IMPACT Theatre Group for adults with additional needs in Perivale since 2022.
What do you consider to be your 3 top political, work or personal achievements and what impact have they had?
This is a big question. I am very proud to be a parent, a grandparent and a member of a large, complex and creative family – that’s my starting point. Many personal experiences have informed my working and political life. I am proud of working in partnership with parents and communities and leading teams of dedicated staff who provide essential services for children with additional needs and disability including complex and life limiting conditions, and very young children and their families and young people with additional needs and talents in Ealing.
I am proud of the Green Party locally and nationally standing up for equity, people and the environment and will be very proud if elected as a councillor having spent 33 years working in public services to be able to amplify my communities’ voices in the council itself, and act on their behalf.
What do you consider to be the top 3 challenges Hanwell Broadway faces and how will you as a councillor address them?
As a Green Party councillor, I would listen and act on behalf of residents, do things differently where what is happening now isn’t working. Residents are telling us that their priorities are:
Feeling (and being) safe in the ward – this is due to the often-degraded state of their local environment, increasing antisocial behaviour and low (or more serious) level crime. I would do this through working with the community and key agencies to address (and understand the causes) and look for solutions – pushing for change in local and national government policies where this is needed; as well as continuing to listen to residents and challenging cuts to key services for young people, vulnerable adults and those with addictions who need support. Services from early childhood all contribute to social cohesion and community development and need to be invested in and not reduced. Preventative services have a cost benefit. I would push for an increase in safer neighbour policing and continue to challenge developments such as the 24 hr ‘Slots’ Casino at the Clocktower Hanwell Broadway. We need a community-based service there, not a Casino.
Development including housing and how it is being managed for both existing and new residents – we need good quality genuinely affordable and social housing but for example the proposed development at Trumpers Way is not the way to achieve this for many reasons. We don’t need more developments such as the proposed – co-living / HMOs in West Ealing that focus on more, and more people in smaller, and smaller sized properties and without supporting the essential infrastructure. It may be more viable for developers’ profit margins but is it for people?
There are plans for West Ealing High Street too but are these more to suit developers needs rather than residents? The community has been waiting for such a long time for any improvements to be made and remain sceptical that the current council has the right solutions.
How the environment is looked after, from addressing persistent – litter, and fly tipping to safer roads.
We need to look at current practice in terms of street cleaning and rubbish collection – including access to the civic amenity site for larger items – once something is dumped it becomes a magnet for more dumping. The Council should not have taken so long to ensure Warren Farm was saved and designated as a Nature Reserve. I would continue to work with existing community groups who are working hard to improve their local environment, setting an alternative for what our community can look like – when looked after. Improving and valuing the environment also creates a better platform for a safer environment.
Local Green Party members volunteer with Lager Can picking up litter by the bagful, and monitor and clean up the River Brent with CURB (Clean up the River Brent). I have volunteered with both and will continue to do so, when I can, along with raising real concerns about sewage pollution, flooding and water quality locally, and at a national level bringing water back in public ownership (a key Green Party policy). Both flooding and sewage releases into the environment are key issues for residents and the development at Trumpers Way and more widely.
I would support road safety for pedestrians and cyclists, whilst recognising concerns that car drivers have, working to balance often conflicting needs where possible, and environmentally sustainable and promoting public transport and safer streets.
What do you love about Hanwell Broadway and the borough of Ealing?
People, the diverse community in Hanwell Broadway, the green spaces and those wanting to enhance and preserve them – the Warren Farm Campaign, Katherine Buchan Meadow Group, the Guerilla Gardeners, and more. The Children’s Centre in Hanwell Broadway, which will now have to cater for more and more children and parents as other centres across the area close; and all children’s centres, and services for young people, and vulnerable adults across the borough. The people who work hard across Ealing to make the community more inclusive for all its residents. I am concerned for those who are excluded and losing vital services whatever their age or background. I would continue to advocate for them
How accessible will you be to Hanwell Broadway 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?
I can be contacted on hanwellbroadway@ealing.greenparty.org.uk and aim to respond to all emails. It is particularly busy at this point in our campaign, and we receive many enquiries, which is positive. I am also out and about canvassing almost daily up to and including 7th May listening and speaking to local residents. If elected, I and members of Ealing Green Party will continue to canvas residents’ views. I will hold regular surgeries and continue to attend community events and meet local campaigners who are wanting to have their voices heard.
Click here for all Hanwell Broadway candidates standing.
Full coverage of the 2026 Ealing Council local elections and candidates standing can be found here.
