Ealing Council invited people who live or work in Southall to a public meeting to discuss plans for the future of the town.

The meeting took take place at the Dominion Centre at 7pm today. It was open to anyone who wanted to find out what is being done to improve the town or who wants to contribute their ideas.

This was a follow on meeting to the Future of Southall meeting held in March 2011. Another one will be held in 6 months time.

The meeting was chaired by MP Virendra Sharma who recalled how the people of Southall stood together in the recent riots.

Council leader Julian Bell, police borough commander, Andy Rowell and Chief Inspector Colin Wingrove, provided an update on what is being done to tackle issues raised at the previous event.

A panel of council officers who lead on regeneration, safety, transport and housing, were on hand at the meeting to answer some questions from the audience.

Voluntary groups, faith leaders, ward councillors, local businesses and residents associations were invited to the meeting.

Parking is known issue in Southall. A temporary car park will open in Mid-November in Hambrough Road for a duration of 6 months. It will provide spaces for 49 cars including 4 disabled bays and will be open between 8 am to 6 pm.

A permanent £4.8 million 100 space car park is currently being discussed. Currently the Herbert Road car accommodates 264 spaces.

Ealing Council will be providing free parking during December in council operated car parks.

The CrossRail link will speed up journey times.

Progress with known issues like anti-social behaviour and prostitution has been made. Police will also be taking action against kerb crawlers by noting their car registration numbers and prosecuting them.

The problem of Houses with Multiple occupants and Outhouse was also mentioned. Out of approximately 1050 premises only 250 comply with regulations. Some 83% or around 900 properties are unlawfully let. The state of these outhouses has been widely reported in the national media and TV.

Southall has a thousand food outlets out of three thousand in the borough. The Council has been taking action with those that do not comply with the regulations.

Paan spitting individual will be facing on the spot fines.

Last year Southall had 11 bookies. Now it has 18 bookies. Nobody is happy about the situation and the problems it causes.