Chuka Umunna MP

This Friday 25th November 2011, Chuka is hosting a coffee afternoon between 2:00pm and 4:00pm at St Matthew’s Tenants Hall (10 St Matthew’s Road, London, SW2 1NH).

Feel free to pop by at some point during the afternoon, and to invite friends, local business owners or anyone who you think might like to raise an issue, make a suggestion, or just have a chat. Please note if you have a personal casework issue you’d like to raise, it is best to contact the constituency office directly to set up a private surgery appointment.

Chuka Umunna MP has visited the site where work is due to start this month on building the UK’s first National Black Heritage Centre.

The Black Cultural Archives have begun work to transform the derelict Raleigh Hall on Brixton’s Windrush Square into a purpose built National Black Heritage Centre.

Streatham constituent Dawn Hill, along with Black Cultural Archive CEO Paul Reid and Project Director Vivkek Malhorta. To find out more click here.

Chuka Umunna MP this week visited the site where work will start this month on building the UK’s first National Black Heritage Centre. The site in Brixton will become Britain’s first national institution dedicated to commemorating and celebrating the experiences of people of African and African-Caribbean descent in Britain.

The Black Cultural Archives have begun work to transform the derelict Raleigh Hall on Brixton’s Windrush Square into a purpose built National Black Heritage Centre. Work on the historic building is due to finish in 2012 and the site was visited on Friday by Chuka Umunna MP was given a hardhat tour of the site by his constituent, Dawn Hill, Cultural Archives CEO Paul Reid, Project Director Vivek Malhorta.

The Black Cultural Archives was founded in 1981 to collect, preserve and celebrate the contributions Black people have made to the culture, society and heritage of the UK but the Archives have never had a permanent, publically accessible home. The growing archive collection includes rare documents, photographs, oral history testimonies and unique centuries-old artifacts.

The National Black Heritage Centre will open in 2012 and will become the new home of the Black Cultural Archives. The project is a major development for both the UK and the local area and will enable people from all over South London, the UK and the world to celebrate and commemorate the experiences of people in Britain of African and African-Caribbean descent.

As the MP for Streatham, an area which includes parts of Brixton, Tulse Hill, Balham and Clapham, Chuka Umunna represents one of the most multicultural constituencies in the country where 22.6% of population is of African and/or Caribbean descent.

Commenting, Chuka Umunna MP said:

“I am delighted that the Black Cultural Archives has chosen Brixton as the perfect place for people to explore the history and culture of Black people living in the UK and look forward very much to a successful opening in 2012.”

“It is fantastic that Brixton will soon be home to the first national institution dedicated to celebrating and commemorating Black UK history.”

This weekend, Chuka attended Brixton Windmill Festival, organised by Friends of Windmill Gardens.

Earlier this year, Chuka cut the ribbon alongside the Mayor of Lambeth and a descendent of the mill’s original owner as the mill was reopened to the public after its restoration.

Some pictures from the Festival and the Brixton Garden Party, held on Fairmount Road nearby to mark the opening of a new community garden, are below:

Residents in Lambeth will have seen the Boundary Commission for England’s proposals published this week. Lambeth’s principal town centres are currently represented by the three of us. Under the proposals Lambeth will be carved up between six new parliamentary constituencies with a disregard for borough boundaries and historic districts.

The stated aim of the legislation which brought the Boundary Review into being was to even out the number of registered electors in each constituency, yet the review ignored the fact that areas like Lambeth contain a disproportionate number of people who are not on the register.

The truth is that the review was politically motivated and designed to advantage the Conservative Party as many independent commentators have made clear. The result is that just when our communities need more representation than ever, in this age of austerity and when our constituents are having to cope with too far too fast government cuts, we will see less representation in the future for one of the most deprived boroughs in the country.

We will be voting against these proposals when they are put before the House of Commons in late 2013 not because of any personal interest but because they are the wrong thing for this borough which we love so much.

We want to assure all of our constituents in Lambeth that we were elected to serve the people in each constituency for this parliament and that is what we will do right up until the next General Election regardless of what comes after.

Kate Hoey MP
Member of Parliament for Vauxhall

Chuka Umunna MP
Member of Parliament for Streatham

Below is a further update from Thames Water:

The emergency works detailed below were completed on 13 July 2011. However, in order to repair the consequential damage caused by the leak, Thames Water will be returning to this location over two nights to restore the condition of the road. The works will be carried out between 20:30 and 05:00 on Wednesday 20 July 2011 and Thursday 21 July 2011. On both nights, the following traffic management will be in place:

I apologise in advance for any inconvenience that may be caused as a result of these works. TfL has worked closely with Thames Water and the London Borough of Lambeth in order to reduce the impact of these works on road users, local people and businesses as far as possible.

Following the burst water main on Thursday, Brixton Hill is still closed to southbound traffic. Reinstatement of the road is continuing and the road is expected to be opened again on Wednesday morning.

Below is a further statement from Thames Water:

“The water main was repaired initially as planned, but a leak at the next joint required a further repair. The work has been particularly challenging because of the quantity of underground cables and ducts from the other utilities, including high security fibre-optic cables.

“Apologies on behalf of Thames Water for the disruption and the length of time that this water main has taken to repair.”

Chuka is hosting a Coffee Afternoon for local residents this week at Corpus Christi RC Church, Trent Road, SW2 5BJ

It is taking place this Thursday June 30th between 2.00pm and 4.00pm – please feel free to pop by at some point during the afternoon and to invite anyone else you think might be interested from the local area –perhaps you’d like to raise a personal casework issue, a national policy issue or would just like to have a chat with Chuka.

Urban Art 2011, London’s largest free annual open air Contemporary Arts Fair will be taking place for its tenth year on Josephine Avenue, London SW2 on Saturday 16th July and Sunday 17th July from 10.00am to 6.00pm.

Last year the event attracted over 7,500 visitors and this July even more are expected. The event will exhibit new and established artists work as well as help fundraising for local causes: Trinity Hospice and The Crown Lane Primary School will receive 10% commission from the sales made on Sunday.

Around 2,000 pieces of work will be on display from 150 artists, printmakers, street painters and photographers, ranging from the novice to the established making this is an event for all art lovers. Prices range from under a tenner to over £1,000, examples of which can be found here.

Additional attractions for Urban Art 2011 include the Saturday Sound Stage showcasing an eclectic mix of music and a wide selection of food stalls.

Urban Art was created by Josephine Avenue resident and portrait artist Timothy Sutton. Commenting, he said “I knew that local artists were desperate to find places to show their work and this seemed an obvious solution. The local community work really hard but it’s always a fun weekend so makes it all worth while; it’s kind of the Big Society in action. We’re also delighted that Trinity Hospice and Crown Lane Primary School will benefit this year, two local services who need the money.”

Brixton resident and artist, Martin Grover, who has been exhibiting at Urban Art since its inception, added: “This will be my tenth time exhibiting at Urban Art. It’s always a chilled atmosphere and great place to talk to other artists and visitors about my work. Can’t wait.”

Following a recent planning meeting, Lambeth council officials provided Chuka with an update on the Streatham Hub redevelopment. The update is below:

• Demolition of the former Pope’s Road car park is near completion with works to level the site now underway. This is due to be completed by late April 2011.
• Start on the construction of the temporary ice rink – July 2011
• Open temporary ice rink – November 2011
• Start on site for Streatham Hub – September 2011
• Completion of Streatham Hub – end of 2013
• Decommissioning of temporary ice rink – early 2014