Chuka Umunna MP

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

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.

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 has launched an online petition to protest against Sainsbury’s proposal to open a supermarket on Abbeville Road, the centre of Abbeville Village in Clapham.

Hundreds of local residents attended a People’s Question Time event on the issue which Chuka chaired last night and expressed concerns about the impact of a supermarket on the shopping and residential street and the surrounding area. Many questioned the need for an additional supermarket given the large number nearby.

To read more about the campaign and sign the petition against the Abbeville Road Sainsbury’s, follow this link.

Following last night’s People’s Question Time on Sainsbury’s proposal to open a supermarket on Abbeville Road, below are links and deadlines for residents to submit comments as part of Lambeth’s licensing and planning process.

Alcohol and late night food licence:

Sainsbury’s licencing application can be viewed here.

Submissions on this application should be sent to licensing {at} lambeth.gov(.)uk – you must give your name, address and refer to the address of the premises for which Sainsbury’s is making its application, which is: 36-38 Abbeville Road, Clapham, London SW4 9NG.

The deadline for submissions on this application is the end of Tuesday 9th November.

Submissions must relate to the following four licensing objectives:

• Prevention of crime and disorder • Public safety • Prevention of public nuisance • Protection of children from harm

Planning applications

Sainsbury’s has submitted three separate planning applications. These are:

• Application for a single storey ground floor rear side infill extension, alterations to doors and windows to the rear elevation and alterations to existing shop front including installation of an ATM (Automated teller machine). To view details of this application or make comments, please follow this link. The deadline for submissions is Monday 15th November.

• Application for two externally illuminated fascia signs and one illuminated projecting sign (10/03604/ADV). To view details of this application or register comments online, follow this link. The deadline for submissions on this application is Wednesday 24th November.

• Application for installation of enclosed mechanical plant and air conditioning (10/03606/FUL). To view details of this application or register comments online, follow this link. The deadline for submission is Thursday 25th November.

Chuka is chairing a people’s question time meeting on Sainsbury’s proposed new supermarket on Abbeville Road this Thursday November 4 at 7.30pm, taking place at Church of the Holy Spirit, Narbonne Avenue, SW4 9JS following local residents and businesses raising concerns about the planned development

Chuka Umunna MP is joining constituents in Clapham to voice concerns about a planned supermarket development in Clapham South.

Sainsbury’s is planning to open a minimart with an alcohol license at the site on Abbeville Road, which is a mixed residential and shopping parade known as ‘Abbeville Village’.

There is a large Tesco store, a Sainsbury’s Local and a Marks and Spencer supermarket located nearby at Clapham South station, as well as a Sainsbury’s superstore only minutes away on Clapham Park Road. On Clapham High Road are located another Tesco Express and Sainsbury’s Local.

Local residents and shopkeepers fear that the new store could harm local businesses and alter the character of the popular shopping parade. A petition against the planned development has already collected more than 1,000 signatures.

A public meeting is being planned, due to be Chaired by Mr Umunna and held at Church of the Holy Spirit on Narbonne Avenue, close to the planned store.

Mr Umunna is raising the issue with both Sainsbury’s and Lambeth Council to make sure local people’s concerns are heard and will be meeting with Sainsbury’s representatives shortly.

Commenting, Mr Umunna said:

“Abbeville Road is not an appropriate location for a supermarket and I am fully behind the campaign to stop this development.

“There are already many supermarkets nearby, so this development would not offer anything new to the area and the local community. In the current economic climate, it is crucial that we support our small businesses.”

In this video, Chuka discusses Labour’s delivery for education locally outside Lambeth Academy in Clapham, which opened in 2004.

When Boris Johnson was running for Mayor in 2008 he included a pledge in his Transport Manifesto that said he would halt “the proposed Tube ticket office closures”, and ensure “there is always a manned ticket office at every station”. During his campaign he signed a petition that condemned plans to close Tube ticket offices and drastically reduce the opening hours of many others.

However, recent proposals from Transport for London suggest that the permanent closure of eleven ticket offices is under consideration and dozens more could face drastically reduced opening hours. The proposals would affect tube stations including Brixton, Clapham South, Clapham Common and Balham and result in hundreds of jobs being axed.

Under the proposals, Clapham South station ticket office would see its opening times cut by 46 hours per week, while Clapham Common station’s ticket office would be open for 32 fewer hours each week.

While currently Clapham South’s ticket office closes at 9.30pm on Saturdays and Sundays, under the Mayor’s planned changes it would be without a ticket office after 3.45pm on Saturday and 4.00pm on Sundays.

The ticket offices at Balham and Clapham Common will close at 7.45pm from Monday to Friday and Clapham South’s at 7.15pm, also closing for most of the afternoon, between 1.30pm and 5.00pm on weekdays.

If you would like to register your disappointment with the current proposals then you can contact to Transport for London at enquire {at} tfl.gov(.)uk, we will post any consultations on the proposals as soon as they are available.

Chuka Ummuna, who is opposing the planned reduction in ticket office opening hours, commented:

“Thousands of people use our underground stations on a daily basis and they form a vital connection with central London.

“The Mayor’s drastic cuts to opening times would see our local tube stations without ticket offices for hours on end at peak times.

“As well as the loss of customer service for tube users, I am concerned about the impact the changes could have on the safety of stations, particularly late at night.”