Residents are being urged to share their thoughts on how the council deals with new applications for gambling premises.

The consultation is in response to recent concerns raised by residents about the impact of betting shops on their local community.

To understand the nature and extent of these concerns the council is inviting local people to get involved and share their comments and suggestions.

Following the consultation, the council will consider whether to make any changes to the existing gambling policy.

Councillor Ranjit Dheer, cabinet member for Safer Communities said "It is vitally important for local people to tell us what they think."

"By gaining a better understanding of the way residents feel about gambling premises in their communities, we can then consider the most appropriate way to respond. I urge all local people to go online and have their say."

To complete the survey visit the Councils consultations pages.

Recently there was a planning application for another gambling shop on Southall Broadway, right in front of an existing one.

Local residents and businesses concerned about the impact on their community overwhelming signed a petition against it and presented it to the Council. It was supported by the local councillors and the police. It could not have got any more local support. Permission was still granted.

Another gambling shop has just been granted permission within yards of the existing two. It’s a bit late to ask for the opinions of the residents of Southall Broadway. They have expressed their views and been ignored.

Whose views do they listen to?

Will the council consider making any changes to the existing gambling policy?

Southall has a lot of anti-social problems and gambling shops only make them worse.

These sorts of decisions only prove that Southall is still "the poor relation of the London Borough of Ealing."