On 7 May 2026, residents in the East Acton 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 Kate Crawford, standing for Ealing Liberal Democrats in East Acton, has to say:
Tell us a bit about yourself, your priorities for the ward and why you want to be councillor for East Acton?
I have served as a councillor for East Acton ward for 28 years.
I was initially elected in 1998 having been asked to stand for the Council by members of my local community having been an advocate for children with disabilities and their families for more than a decade.
Most of your readers will know that I resigned my membership of the Labour party last month having been blocked from standing in the election. I intended to serve out my term as an Independent but following discussions I joined the Liberal Democrat party.
My values have not changed. My priorities remain the same ensuring that every resident has a voice on the Council, making sure my residents are safe, solving the housing crises and protecting our vital public services including the Childrens Centres that Labour intends to close.
I am proud of my record in East Acton and ask for the chance to serve another four years.
What motivates you?
My constituents motivate me. I receive casework whether it be in a phone call, an email, at my surgery or when I am carrying out one of my Sunday afternoon visits.
I learn from each case whether it be someone in substandard housing, someone complaining about the state of their local park, someone fined wrongly by the Council or an Acton small business needing support.
Every East Acton resident deserves the same access to a councillor and Council. I have always tried to take politics out of the Town Hall and onto the streets and doorsteps of East Acton.
I always strive to be a hardworking community councillor regardless for who you vote for.
What is your own personal connection to either East Acton or any other part of the borough?
I have been an Acton resident since 1987. I brought up my family in Acton and received wonderful kindness and support for my disabled son, Dan.
I founded SEEN, ( Special Education Ealing Network), to fight cuts for special education services in the borough by the Conservative administration.
I love Acton, it’s people, it’s heritage and our values.
What do you consider to be your 3 top political, work or personal achievements and what impact have they had?
Making sure that TFL replaced the Perryn Road footbridge over the Western Avenue that connects one part of East Acton with another. It offers a safe crossing point for all residents whether it be for children walking to John Perryn Primary School, workers travelling to and from home, or the older residents who need a safe way to cross a dangerous road.
Protecting green spaces across the borough and in St. Dunstans Gardens.
In April 2022 we were successful in protecting St. Dunstans Gardens from being built on for a site for a 52 bed care home.
I was pleased to support the efforts of Juliet Mcdonald and hundreds of residents in preserving and protecting the green space in my recent term of office.
Saving Charing Cross and Ealing Hospital from closure alongside many thousands of Ealing residents, I campaigned to preserve essential local health services from closure under plans put forward by the previous government. This was a genuine community campaign and I dread to think how bad the recent pandemic would have been were it not for our success.
What do you consider to be the top 3 challenges East Acton faces and how will you as a councillor address them?
Political leadership – Like many of my constituents I have lost faith in the leadership of this borough.
I want to continue serving my constituents and not be punished for asking thier questions. I will always be accessible and continue to work hard to be an open, honest community councillor.
Proven Spending – Recent reporting shows the Council spends on itself. Liberal Democrats believe that Acton would benefit if more of this money were spent on our local community supporting community services.
Housing – The Council remains in special measures on housing. Many of my constituents fell they have been let down. The Council needs to be honest about it’s failings and work with our community to repair substandard housing stock and seek to build more appropriate housing in consultation with the local community.
What do you love about East Acton and the borough of Ealing?
I love the people of East Acton. The are always welcoming me on the doorstep and their kindness predates me entering local politics. It is a privilege to serve my community as one of their elected representatives and that is why I work so hard to provide the best representation possible.
How accessible will you be to Walpole 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?
Any of my constituents can write to me at 13. Lynton Terrace, Lynton Road, Acton W3 9DU
Telephone me on my home number 0208 992 9353
Send me an email to CrawforK@ealing.gov.uk
Click here for all East Acton candidates standing.
Full coverage of the 2026 Ealing Council local elections and candidates standing can be found here.
