The Cabinet of Ealing Council met on Wednesday, 16 April 2025, to discuss and approve changes to the Post 16 Discretionary Transport Policy, allocate significant funding for the Highways and Transport Programme for 2025-26, and agree the S106 Service Spend Plans for the upcoming year. Key decisions included the implementation of fees for arranged transport for post-16 students, approval of a £5.216 million capital budget for highways and transport works, and the allocation of £5.310 million in capital and £0.696 million in revenue from S106 resources for various projects across the borough.

Post 16 Discretionary Transport Policy

Cabinet approved a revised Post 16 Discretionary Transport Policy aimed at promoting greater independence for young people and ensuring a more targeted use of council resources. This policy will introduce fees for arranged transport, with a tiered system based on income, and will prioritise independent travel training and personal independence budgets. The changes are expected to result in approximately 40 fewer young people being eligible for council-arranged transport, with the policy coming into effect for the academic year 2025/26.

Ealing Highways and Transport Programme 2025-26

A capital budget of £5.216 million was approved for the Transport and Highways Programme for 2025/26. This funding, derived from Transport for London (TfL) Local Implementation Plan (LIP) funding (£4.271m) and Department for Transport (DfT) pothole funding (£0.945m), will support a range of initiatives. These include carriageway surfacing, footway repaving, controlled parking zone schemes, and the procurement of a four-year highways and transport services framework agreement. The programme aims to improve road safety, promote active travel, and enhance the overall transport network within the borough.

S106 Service Spend Plans 2025-26

Cabinet agreed to allocate £5.310 million in capital budgets and up to £0.696 million in revenue budgets from S106 resources for the 2025/26 Service Spend Plans. These funds will be directed towards various projects across different service areas, including affordable housing, air quality monitoring, education, highways, and parks. The S106 contributions, secured from developers, are intended to mitigate the impact of new developments and fund essential infrastructure and services for the benefit of Ealing residents. The approval ensures that these developer contributions are spent appropriately and in a timely manner, aligning with the council's strategic objectives.