Chuka Umunna MP

Chuka’s people’s question time on planning issues is taking place on Thursday evening at 7.00pm on at English Martyrs RC Church, 2 Mitcham Lane, SW16 6NN (for a map, follow this link)

For further details, please follow this link.

Chuka is holding a People’s Question Time to discuss an exciting potential community development in the area. At this very early stage of the development, residents’ views are being sought on the idea and the potential building design.

Date: Wednesday 6th April
Time: 7.00pm – 8.30pm
Venue: Corpus Christi RC Church, 11 Trent Road, SW2 5BJ

At the meeting a proposal will be discussed to turn a row of disused garages at the rear of Fairmount Road and Raleigh Gardens into a green, creative space for the community. This development would turn a wasteland into a financially sustainable community building and garden that would provide a real oasis in a crowded urban space.

There are already many exciting ideas about what could be done with this space, including developing a community kitchen and cafe to promote healthy eating and demonstrate the benefits of using fresh, own grown produce and engaging in community activities including animation, film, sculpture, creative writing, live music, arts and crafts.

The project will be introduced by local resident Katherine Rake and the building designs presented by architect Jerry Tate.

A plaque unveiling event was held earlier this month in honour of Alan Bedford who died in 2008.

Alan was a member of Streatham Vale Property Occupiers’ Association (SVPOA) for more than forty years and was also its chair for many years. He was instrumental in campaigning on behalf of local residents, including to prevent the extension of the M23 through Streatham Vale and was the joint chair of its environmental committee for many years.

He also successfully campaigned for the reopening of the Eardley Road entrance of Streatham Common station and the plaque in his honour was unveiled at the station.

Chuka has raised concerns over the proposed ‘Camp Royale’ camp site on Clapham Common in Parliament this week, and has also written to Lambeth council calling for the event to be reconsidered.

‘Camp Royale’ plans to turn Clapham Common into a three-day campsite with capacity for thousands of campers to coincide with the Royal Wedding on April 29. Many constituents and Clapham Common users have been in touch with Chuka to raise concerns and objections following news reports last weekend on the proposed event.

In his letters to Lambeth council’s Licencing Department and Events Team, Chuka cites the lack of consultation with local residents and Clapham Common user groups and calls for the event to be reconsidered in light of this. He also raises fears over the impact the event will have on the environment of the common and local transport as well as concerns over community safety, policing and alcohol on the site.

Although Clapham Common has played host to a number of festivals and events each year, it is unprecedented for these to involve overnight camping.

Raising the matter in the House of Commons yesterday with Leader of the House Sir George Young, Mr Umunna said:

“I, like others, was delighted for Prince William and Kate Middleton when news of their engagement was announced. I look forward to celebrating their wedding with many of my constituents at street parties on the big day.

“However, this day of national celebration should not be exploited by fly-by-night companies looking to make a fast buck from the wedding such as Eleven Events Limited which is planning to transform Clapham Common in my constituency into a mass campsite for thousands of people to mark the occasion.”Sir George Young replied that he would pass on Mr Umunna’s concerns to relevant ministers in the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Today, a letter calling for the remutualisation of Northern Rock has been published in the Guardian.It is signed by Chuka and MPs from all sides of the House of Commons and a number of leading figures from academia, trade unions, the third sector and financial services bodies.

To find out more about the remutualisation campaign, follow this link.

The letter’s text and a full list of signatories is below:

The three-year anniversary of the nationalisation of Northern Rock fell last month (Unions call for the Rock to remutualise, 10 March). We welcome the government’s recognition of the need for robust competition and choice in the financial services sector, demonstrated by its commitment to bring forward detailed proposals to “foster diversity in financial services, promote mutuals and create a more competitive banking industry” in the May 2010 coalition agreement. We believe a thriving mutual sector adds to the diversity and strength of the UK’s financial sector. In light of consolidation in the sector following the financial crash of 2008, the time has come to give serious consideration to the role of mutuals in diversifying and democratising financial services while empowering consumers.

When considering what to do next, we call on the government to give equal and due consideration to a mutual option for the future of Northern Rock by requiring UKFI to undertake a feasibility study and seek advice on remutualising Northern Rock plc.

Chuka Umunna MP (Lab)
Gareth Thomas MP Chair, Co-operative party
Alan Beith MP (Lib Dem)
Andrea Leadsom MP (Con)
Jonathan Evans MP (Con)
Catherine McKinnell MP (Lab)
Andy Love MP (Lab Coop)
Adrian Coles – Director General, Building Societies Association
Peter Hunt – Chief Executive, Mutuo
Prof Jonathan Michie – President, Kellogg College, University of Oxford
Len McCluskey – General Secretary, Unite
Philip Blond – Director, ResPublica
Neal Lawson – Chair, Compass
Tony Dolphin – Senior economist, IPPR
Peter Holbrook – Chief Executive, Social Enterprise Coalition

After the outstanding success of last year’s inaugural event, this year’s Celebrating Streatham is taking place on the Saturday May 21st at Dunraven Upper School, Leigham Court Road SW16 2QB.

Celebrating Streatham was set up by Chuka to showcase the vibrancy, talent and diversity of the people of an area of London which too often finds itself negatively portrayed in the national media.

Like last year, local community groups, charities and businesses will attend to spread the word about the positive work of their organisations, hosting stalls during the initial part of the event. This will also provide opportunities if you’re interested in getting involved or are interested in setting up your own group.

The focus will then shift to the ‘Streatham Presents…’ competition: an chance for community groups, youth groups and local schools to show off their talents, from singing and dancing to martial arts and acrobatics, competing for the votes of the audience in front of a special celebrity guest judging panel. They will be battling to win a top-drawer prize which will exclusively be revealed on our Facebook and Twitter pages over the next month.

The names of the celebrity judges will be announced shortly, following in the footsteps of Mercury Prize winner Speech Debelle and Leo Ihenacho, singer from The Streets, who were on the panel last year. Further information about the event and details on how to get your FREE ticket will follow.

This year’s Celebrating Streatham event is on Twitter here and Facebook here.

Chuka Umunna MP has raised concerns about a proposed event due to take place on Clapham Common to coincide with the Royal Wedding on April 29 and has questioned whether it should go ahead.

Camp Royale plans to turn Clapham Common into a campsite for those celebrating Prince William’s marriage to Kate Middleton and to broadcast the event on giant screens, with capacity for 10,000 people.

Although one-day festivals take place annually on Clapham Common such as Ben and Jerries’ Summer Sundae and Get Loaded on the Common, but a three-day event with camping is unprecedented on the public open space.

Half of Clapham Common, including the site where the event is due to take place, is within Mr Umunna’s Streatham constituency. Mr Umunna has been contacted by constituents who are concerned about the impact of the proposed event.

Mr Umunna has registered his concerns with Lambeth council and will continue to keep his constituents informed on this issue.

Commenting, Mr Umunna said:

“I was delighted when I heard the happy news about Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton and will be celebrating their wedding day as will many of my constituents, but I have deep reservations about this event and have already been contacted by concerned local residents about it.

“It is quite unprecedented for something on this scale to take place over three days on our Common, with people camping on it for the duration – we do not want to see Clapham Common turned into a Glastonbury style venue – albeit slightly posher – with all that would involve and the inevitable disruption to the daily lives of my constituents.”

Sainsbury’s had submitted new planning applications to open a supermarket on Abbeville Road and Chuka has registered objections. To view the Sainsbury’s applications, follow these links:

11/00167/ADV – Display of 2 x externally illuminated fascia signs to the front elevation and 1 x externally illuminated projection sign.

11/00166/FUL – Erection of a single storey ground floor rear side infill extension, removal of door to the rear elevation and new shopfront. (Reconsultation due to amended description)

10/03606/FUL – Installation of an enclosed mechanical plant and air conditioning units to the rear roof at first floor level.

Last year, Sainsbury’s submitted its original planning applications relating to its plan to open a store on Abbeville Road and Chuka chaired a People’s Question Time event at Church of the Holy Spirit, attended by representatives of the supermarket chain so that local residents could have their views heard – to read more, follow this link.

To sign Chuka’s online petition against the proposed Sainsbury’s supermarket on Abbeville Road, follow this link

Chuka is holding a people’s question time on planning issues – in particular focusing on the issue of house conversions. Lambeth Head of Planning Les Brown is attending.

This is taking place at 7.00pm on Thursday March 31 at English Martyrs RC Church, 2 Mitcham Lane, SW16 6NN (for a map, follow this link)