Southall, an area rich in heritage and community spirit, is facing a profound challenge with the RISE Centre in its heart. The RISE Centre provides services for people with drug and alcohol dependency. The presence of this centre has recently seen a marked increase in drug use, anti-social behaviour, and public drinking, which has severely impacted the quality of life for its residents. This is an issue that affects everyone in our community – from families who wish to feel safe walking their streets, to local businesses.

Southall has, for too long, been neglected by Ealing council. This neglect is now more evident than ever with the RISE Centre, operating in the heart of Southall close to schools, nurseries, parks and local businesses. It is concerning to us, the residents, that such a decision was made without proper consultation or consideration of the community's needs and wishes.

The council announced that police patrols would be coordinated with park guards, CCTV monitoring would be increased and intelligence gathered to understand those responsible for antisocial behaviour. While this may sound positive on paper, this does not go far enough, or resolve the issue. We have seen little visible increase in police patrols, or even showing up when called, and CCTV alone will not prevent open drug use, street drinking or intimidation. Residents have been raising concerns for months, yet the situation on our streets continues to deteriorate.

The time for promises has passed. We demand that Ealing Council acknowledges the seriousness of the problem and delivers tangible action, not further statements of intent. Families should not have to walk past people openly drinking, taking drugs or behaving aggressively on routes to schools, nurseries, parks or going about their daily business, while waiting for another review or intelligence-gathering exercise. Southall deserves immediate action which is the closure of the centre, which will help restore safety and confidence to our community

Join us in urging the local council to take responsibility and shut down the RISE Centre in Southall. Sign this petition to stand with us for a safer, better Southall, where our community's needs are placed firmly at the forefront of local policy decisions.