Chuka Umunna, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Streatham, has called for Tesco to be given a firm deadline within which to come forward with revised proposals acceptable to Streatham residents to develop the Streatham Hub.

At a public meeting in Streatham held by community organization Streatham Action, Lambeth council cabinet members and officers gave local residents an update on the future of the Streatham Hub project.

The Streatham Hub Project is intended to provide a new ice rink complex, leisure facilities, a new supermarket and affordable housing for the Streatham area. Under proposals agreed with Lambeth Council in 2007, Tesco promised that the existing ice rink would not close until the new complex is opened, but refused to guarantee this at a public meeting held in October 2009.

Councillors revealed that negotiations with Tesco, which owns the Ice Rink site, are still ongoing. Councillors were not in a position to announce the results of the ongoing negotiation with Tesco, but did indicate that should it not be possible to reach agreement, alternative options would be considered.

Councillor Lib Peck, the Lambeth Council Cabinet member for housing and regeneration outlined the main principles underpinning the council’s approach to the ongoing negotiations with Tesco, including importantly continuity of ice provision until a new ice rink is built.

The board of Tesco PLC is due to meet in mid March when the chief executive, Sir Terry Leahy, will put forward proposals for the Streatham Hub for approval before the retailer reverts back to the cabinet of the council with its final position. In turn, the council officers will prepare a report either recommending that the Tesco proposals be approved or not by the meeting of the Lambeth council cabinet on March 22 2010.

Commenting on the current state of negotiations, Mr Umunna said: “If Tesco comes forward with proposals which are acceptable to the community and the council, it is crucial they are legally bound into their commitments. Any contract entered into with them must have teeth, and they should not be allowed to renege on any promises made.

“If Tesco do not come forward with proposals which are acceptable, the council should walk away from any deal and look to immediately progress the development of the Streatham Hub project on its own. We cannot keep waiting for the retailer to come good – The fact they did not even bother to send anyone to speak on their behalf at this important meeting is indicative of their poor attitude to local people.

“I am most concerned that the ice rink, which is already in a parlous state, will be left to rot by Tesco. As a sign that they are serious about moving forward from the present impasse, they should take all action they can as owners of the ice rink to invest in it so that it is viable and can be used while we wait for a new ice rink to be built.”

Local people are holding a demonstration to make their views heard by the retailer outside Tesco Express on Streatham High Road from 11am on Saturday 27 February 2010.

Support Chuka’s Keep Streatham Skating campaign by signing the petition and joining the Facebook group.

The Department for Children Schools and Families is currently passing a bill that is set to revolutionise schools in Streatham and beyond. The Children Schools and Families (CSF) Bill will guarantee catch-up support, one to one tuition for children falling behind, and stronger discipline through tough home-school agreements. In the above video, Schools Minister Vernon Coaker discusses the aims of the bill.

The guarantee of one to one tuition for children falling behind in literacy and numeracy has already been backed by £1,254,595 of extra funding this year for schools across Lambeth, with Streatham’s students set to benefit.

Crucially, discipline in schools is set to be overhauled by new home-school agreements with all pupils and parents accepting the school’s rules when they apply for a school place, and clear consequences if they are broken. This will help foster the development of a stable learning environment and orderly schools in Streatham.

Further plans under the CSF Bill include:
• The opportunity for all pupils to study triple sciences at GCSE;
• The opportunity for every primary pupil to learn a musical instrument;
• Every pupil to receive PHSE (including sexual health) education;
• Personal tutors for all secondary school pupils;
• More support for Gifted & Talented pupils and their parents.

Speaking about the Bill, Secretary of State for Children Schools and Families Ed Balls said:

“The Schools White Paper and the Bill build on the huge improvements in schools that have already happened and set out a clear vision for how we will take the schools system from good to great. At the heart of that vision are the pupil and parent guarantees.

“It is no longer enough to have a system meeting the needs of most children most of the time. These guarantees mean that all children and their parents, know what they should expect from their school and will have the powers to ensure those expectations are met.”

Chuka Umunna said:

“Schools in Streatham have been transformed over the last twelve years with the building of four new schools, our best ever exam results, 160 more teachers and an 81% increase in our pupils entering higher education.

“I am right behind the government’s CSF Bill, which reflects our commitment to protecting and improving front line services.”

Recently, the government has launched an innovative new website: data.gov.uk, which provides access to information about public services, national statistics, and access to official data. Six months in the making, the new site will continue to grow and be added to, with plans to eventually include local government information and make data.gov.uk the most comprehensive online resource on UK facts and figures.

Following on from the Freedom of Information Act, data.gov.uk provides an extra level of accountability, adding to the Labour government’s record of increasing transparency and accessibility to the workings of government.

Our area leads the field in many ways on environmental awareness and eco-conscious living. As well as being designated an official Low Carbon Neighbourhood, the Transition Town Brixton Movement and the Brixton Green Project are helping to build the country’s first inner city model of a low-carbon future.

So it’s good to see complementary steps being taken on the national level, with the announced introduction in April of the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC). This will introduce mandatory carbon emissions trading for all businesses and organizations who consume more than 6,000MWh per year of electricity (equivalent to an annual electricity bill of about £500,000) – meaning that organizations who manage to reduce their emissions are able to sell their excess energy on, whilst those who continue to be high consumers will bear the financial burden of having to purchase additional carbon allowances.

The scheme begins in April 2010, when organizations will have to record and report their carbon emissions over the course of the year, before purchasing their first emissions allowance based on those figures in April 2011. Initially, carbon emission allowances will be sold at the fixed price of £12 per tonne of carbon dioxide, before being subject to auction from 2013.

When the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband, met Streatham residents at Lambeth Town Hall in December, he asserted the government’s commitment to the targets set in the Climate Change Bill. By incentivizing reduced energy consumption, penalizing organizations who do not reduce their emissions, and by focussing on the 5000 organizations who are the biggest consumers of energy in this country, the CRC is a crucial step towards achieving the pledged 60% emissions reduction by 2050.

A new community website for the Thornton area, which includes Clapham Park and parts of Balham, has been established. Maintained by local Labour councillors and campaigners, the site features local information and updates on issues affecting the area.

Above is a video of the recent topping out ceremony at NHS Baldry Gardens, a fantastic new health facility in Streatham.

The £3.86 million primary care centre is located near Streatham Common and will open in the summer, providing a new home to the Drakewood GP practice and offering primary healthcare services including nursing, foot health, therapy and midwifery.

Keith Hill, Labour MP for Streatham took part in the ceremony, along with Chair of NHS Lambeth Caroline Hewitt and Dr Jim Hill, a GP at Drakewood Surgery.

Our local area has also benefitted from new and improved health facilities at the Streatham Hill Group Practice, Streatham Vale Surgery, Whittington Health Centre and Streatham Hill Clinic thanks to Labour government investment.

For more information about NHS Baldry Gardens, visit this page

An investigation by structural engineers last November revealed widespread structural problems at Streatham Leisure Centre. Lambeth Council consequently decided to close the Centre on 25 November 2009 for the foreseeable future while further investigations took place to find out the extent of the work needed.

In the meantime alternative arrangements for users and all schools have been arranged during the period of the Leisure Centre’s closure at other locations including Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.

Future of Streatham Leisure Centre

Many local residents have raised the issue of the future of the pool with me in person and in correspondence. I started using Streatham Swimming Pool as a child when my swimming club, Leander S.C., used to compete there against other local clubs such as Streatham S.C., Battersea Jacs S.C. and others. Until recently we used to hold Keith Hill MP’s constituency surgeries there too, where Keith and I dealt with hundreds of constituents problems. So, rest assured, I completely understand the strength of feeling on this issue – the current situation regarding leisure provision here is clearly unsatisfactory.

The closure of the pool has become somewhat of a local political football but all local residents want is for their pool to re-open – that is their priority.  The fact is that Council administrations of all different political persuasions have not invested enough in the pool for a long time and they should all be big enough to admit as much.

Streatham Hub Scheme

Why have Council administrations underinvested in the pool? Because they expected the Streatham Hub scheme – of which a brand new leisure centre and ice arena are a part – to be developed by Tesco in return for the retailer being allowed to build a big supermarket in the area. Both the current administration and the Lib Dem/Tory one before that spent much time negotiating with them and pinned their hopes on Tesco sticking to their promises.

Next week at a special public meeting organised by Streatham Action, the Council and Tesco will tell us the result of their negotiations on the future of the scheme. The meeting takes place at Hideaway at 7pm on Wednesday 10 February 2010.

Action

I have lobbied my Council colleagues to take a tough line with Tesco – I do not see why the community should put up with Tesco’s dithering and prevarication any longer. I have sought to put as much direct pressure on Tesco to live up to their promises in relation to the Streatham Hub scheme through the Keep Streatham Skating! campaign and in other ways.

In the short term, I think the Council should at least look into providing temporary arrangements for non-pool activities (e.g. Step classes, gym facilities) at other locations in Streatham area.  This is something I will be pressing the Council to do to the extent it is not already happening.  Please do not hesitate to contact my office for further information.

Chuka

Those wishing to benefit from cash savings to buy a new car have a month left to take advantage of the government’s hugely successful car scrappage scheme.

Almost 290,000 new cars have been registered through the car scrappage scheme according to the latest statistics from the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders). 38 manufacturers have taken part in the scheme, covering all the major car brands.

Having been announced in the government’s budget early last year, it provides a cash discount of £2,000 for customers who trade in a car older than ten years when buying a new model.

As well as boosting the motor industry, the scheme has helped reduce Britain’s carbon footprint by putting cleaner, more environmentally friendly cars on the road to replace more polluting older models.

According to the SMMT, new cars bought through the scheme emit on average 10.9% less carbon than the vehicles they replace. Additionally, up to 85% of materials from the scrapped cars can be recycled.

The scheme was launched on 18 May 2009 and will last until the end of February.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Yvette Cooper has announced reforms enabling millions of people to save in a pension for the first time, describing them as the “biggest change to support for working people since the introduction of the minimum wage”.

Under the plans around nine million workers will be able to save in a pension with guaranteed contributions from their employer and the government from 2012, many for the first time. In particular, previously disadvantaged groups including women and carers are set to benefit; this year the number of women qualifying for a basic state pension will rise from 50% to 75% of the female population.

The Labour plans will benefit Streatham’s over 60s population of almost 13,000, providing support in retirement for those who were unable to work the previous 44 years for men and 39 years for women.

Under the plans both men and women will only need to work for 30 years, with allowances made for those who have made up gaps in their employment record. In addition grandparents who care for their
grandchildren will now earn credit and a more generous state pension.

Streatham’s businesses will be offered help to adjust to the changes. Start-up businesses created from 2012 will be given until 2016 to start enrolling staff in the scheme, and other local businesses will see their contributions phased in over the next three years. These changes will help Streatham businesses through the recovery whilst ensuring a decent retirement income for the area’s residents and employees.

Speaking about the reforms, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Streatham Chuka Umunna said:

“These reforms are vital in giving thousands of people locally the chance to save in a pension. Along with our changes to the state pension later this year, this will ensure that pensions are fair and sustainable in the longer term.”

Streatham has been boosted by news of falling unemployment figures both in Lambeth and nationally. Across the UK, unemployment is 450,000 lower than expected at the time of the last budget and 53% lower than during the last comparable recession in 1992.

In Lambeth, there are 14,901 fewer unemployed people compared to 1992. This means that thanks to the government’s efforts, unemployment is 56% lower here than during the last recession when the Tories were in charge.

The government has provided extra investment in Job Centres, education and training to help people through the economic recovery.

The Future Jobs Fund was launched to tackle employment for young people, while the government’s September guarantee ensures that there is a place in education, training or a job for every young person leaving school.

Speaking to the BBC, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Yvette Cooper said that Labour government investment in jobs would continue in the long term, even after full economic recovery.

Job Centre Plus in both Streatham and Brixton, alongside the local Connexions centre for young people, are all working hard to help people out of work find jobs and training.

Follow this link to see a map showing the difference in unemployment rates from 1992 to 2010.