Minister for Housing and Planning John Healey visited our area on 14 January to see the Clapham Park Estate, one of the government’s New Deal for Communities (NDC) zones.

Mr Healey met local residents and community leaders from Clapham Park Homes, a community led housing association that now runs the estate.

Clapham Park Homes was founded by the Clapham Park Project, an initiative that has received £70 million investment from the Labour Government since 2001.

Recently the Clapham Park Estate was earmarked for £9.5 million of Government funding to provide good quality housing as part of the Kickstart house building programme.

In addition the money has been provided on the condition that Clapham Park Homes provide schemes for local labour and apprenticeships, ensuring continued investment and opportunities in the area.

The redevelopment of the estate will consist of the refurbishment of existing blocks alongside the construction of new housing. As well as Government funding, the project will be funded by the sale of new homes.

Good quality, well managed and maintained homes are in the process of being built in an area revitalised with a network of new parks, open spaces, better transport and good schools.

Commenting on his visit, during which he inspected the new housing, Mr Healey said:

“I am delighted Chuka asked me to come and visit Clapham Park so I could see how the money we have ploughed into the area is being spent and so I could talk to local residents about what more we could do.

“The residents Chuka and I spoke to told us that they were pleased to see the Government investment in the area, building homes and supporting jobs – that is what we have been doing since 1997 on the Clapham Park Estate and we will continue to do so.”

Chuka highlighted the improvements to the local area, saying:

“The Clapham Park Estate has improved massively from when I was growing up in the constituency and I will work tirelessly to ensure the investment and improvements continue.”

You can visit the Clapham Park Homes website and find out more about the project here: www.cph-online.co.uk

Housing Minister John Healey, who visited Streatham earlier this month, is today extending to Lambeth the government’s campaign to help homeowners avoid repossession.

Lambeth is one of 56 repossession hotspots where the government is running new mortgage help events to promote the assistance which is available to struggling homeowners.

The help events are being run in association with the Citizens Advice Bureau, and offer impartial face-to-face help and advice to homeowners on how to keep their home.

A dedicated helpline and website have also been set up to offer free impartial advice to people who are worried they could face repossession. This is available at www.direct.gov.uk/mortgagehelp.

Over the past year, more than 330,000 households have received help with their mortgages to avoid repossession, and the number of repossessions is currently half of what it was during the last recession.

Chuka Umunna said: “The government is taking action to help homeowners under pressure in our area.

“Families should not have to experience the trauma of repossession, and the government is offering advice and financial assistance for those struggling to meet their mortgage payments.

“During the last recession in the early 1990s, thousands of families were forced to leave their homes and received little help, but the government is determined that this will not happen again.”

Many older people and younger people with disabilities want to maintain their ability to live at home as long as possible, so Labour is proposing to extend free personal care at home to 280,000 people with the highest needs.

The Personal Care at Home Bill will invest £670 million to enable them to stay in their homes, adjusting living conditions with new technology and adaptations whilst also protecting the free care already provided.

Under the proposals 130,000 people will be able to gain new skills that help them to maintain their independence. Additionally, 111,000 people who in the past have had to fund their own home care will receive it for free.

In the long run this will save both social care services and the NHS money, and will form the first step towards a new National Care Service.

Chuka Umunna said : “Labour’s Personal Care at Home Bill will make personal care simple, fair and accessible, giving hundreds of thousands of people new dignity and independence.”

“Many elderly people and younger disabled people need help with everyday tasks such as getting in and out of bed, washing and dressing. Too many still have to fund the support they need out of
their own pocket – or do without.”

“And what’s more, many have to give up living at home in order to receive that support. This bill will help put an end to this.”

The Conservatives, who oppose a National Care Service, instead want a private insurance scheme which will require people to pay £8,000 for residential care, without support to stay in their own home. Not only does this underestimate the cost of such care, but it would also exclude those unable to pay and create a perverse incentive for people to leave their homes even where this is unnecessary or inappropriate.

The Conservative policy, which also does nothing for younger disabled people, has been criticised by social care experts.

Chuka continued: “In 1945 it was Labour that created a National Health Service, free at the point of use, improving life in the UK beyond measure. And now we are setting out to create a new National Care Service in the same spirit of dignity and wellbeing for all.”

The Labour Government has launched the new Boiler Scrappage Scheme – a national initiative to help families save money on fuel bills and cut their carbon emissions.

Around 125,000 households in England will be entitled to £400 towards the price of a new A-rated boiler or renewable heating system to replace their older, less environmentally-friendly boilers.

Hundreds of Streatham families with outdated boiler systems are expected to be eligible for the welcome boost, especially in the freezing weather.

The move is also designed to help sustain work in the heating industry, a major British employer.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the Scheme “will slash household energy bills and carbon emissions while providing an important boost for the British heating industry.

“The government’s new scrappage scheme will help to secure 250,000 jobs across the tens of thousands of small and medium businesses involved in boiler manufacture, sales and installation that form a vital component of Britain’s low carbon economy.”

Labour’s Climate Change Secretary, Ed Miliband, said: “The Boiler Scrappage Scheme will save around £200 off heating bills per year for families that are replacing their old boilers, and in total will save the same amount of carbon equivalent to taking around 45,000 cars off the road.

“The scheme will add to the existing package of government measures to help householders be smarter about the energy they use, leading to permanently reduced fuel bills and cutting emissions.”

The Boiler Scrappage Scheme is based on the same principles as the hugely successful Car Scrappage Scheme – a burst of decisive government investment designed to help both people and businesses while reducing the UK’s carbon footprint.

The Car Scrappage Scheme, introduced in May last year and extended in September, gives drivers £2,000 towards a new car if they trade in an old one.

As of December 2009, 282,898 new cars had been ordered under the Scheme, 19,150 of which were in London.

Housing Minister John Healey MP pays a visit to the Clapham Park Estate at the invitation of Chuka Umunna, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for the area, to meet with local residents.

Following the election of the Labour Government in 1997, Clapham Park Estate was selected as a pilot site for the New Deal for Communities initiative. Consequently since 2001 the Labour government has invested £70million into the area through the Clapham Park Project, which has run various schemes and initiatives, and Clapham Park Homes (CPH).

CPH is the community led housing association set up to provide Estate residents with good quality, well managed and maintained homes at affordable rents, in an area revitalised with a network of new parks and open spaces, cleaner and safer streets, better transport, good schools, a wide range of community facilities, decent services and more local jobs.

The government has just announced that CPH has been shortlisted to receive a further £9.5million to help develop the Estate given the difficulties faced by CPH in securing financing during the Credit Crunch.

John Healey MP, the Minister for Housing and Planning, was invited to visit the Clapham Park Estate to see the government investment to date and meet with local residents and staff from Clapham Park Homes, at the invitation of Chuka Umunna, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for the area.

Commenting on his visit on 14 January 2010, Mr Healey said:

“I am delighted Chuka asked me to come and visit Clapham Park so I could see how the money we have ploughed into the area is being spent and so I could talk to local residents about what more we can do.

“The residents Chuka and I spoke to told us that they were pleased to see the government investing in the area, building homes and supporting jobs – that is what we have been doing since 1997 on the Clapham Park Estate and we will continue to do so.”

Mr Umunna said:

“Ensuring that residents get to speak to government ministers, tell decision makers of their experiences and what more they would like to see is an absolute priority for me.

“The Clapham Park Estate has improved massively from when I was growing up in the constituency and I will work tirelessly to ensure the investment and improvements continue.”

During his visit Mr Healey went on a walk about on the Estate with Mr Umunna, Keith Hill MP, local ward councillors, the Chair and Chief Executive of Clapham Park Homes and local residents.

Housing Minister John Healey MP has announced that Clapham Park Homes has been shortlisted for £9.5million of funding to support the building of new homes in the Clapham Park area and to provide new local jobs and apprenticeships.

The government’s Kickstart programme aims to support housebuilding sites which have experienced difficulties progressing in the difficult current economic climate. Housing associations like Clapham Park Homes have found it hard to secure bank credit for developments following the Credit Crunch.

The £9.5million earmarked for Clapham Park Homes is part of the second round of special Kickstart funding and follows £450million already released nationally to build 11,500 homes.

The funding announced comes on tough terms. 50% of it is recoverable by government and Clapham Park Homes would have to provide schemes for local labour and apprenticeships to secure the monies.

With half of shortlisted homes set to be for affordable rent or sale, this is a boost for first time buyers and prospective Clapham Park Homes tenants.

The project will now go through a rigorous final assessment by the Homes and Communities Agency to determine whether the Clapham Park funding will get the green light. As the funding is intended to support the housebuilding industry when it needs it most, Mr Healey has made clear that one of the key factors will be the ability to complete building work by March 2012.

Commenting on the announcement, Chuka Umunna, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for the Clapham Park area, said:

“I was delighted when the Minister’s office contacted me to let me know that Clapham Park had been shortlisted for these monies which will help bring new homes, jobs and apprenticeships to our area.

“This money is in addition to the £56million that we have been spending on regenerating the Clapham Park area since 1997.”

Housing Minister John Healey MP said:

“We are using the power of Government investment to build homes and support jobs at a time when the housebuilding industry needs it most.

“I’m making it a condition of getting this Government money that all builders offer recruitment of local people and apprenticeship schemes.

“With this money we’re kickstarting stalled developments, supporting new jobs, training future generations of construction workers and building the quality homes we need.”

A new national campaign has been launched to highlight the help and advice available to homeowners potentially facing repossession.

The government is investing £130m in free face-to-face debt advice to help people stay in their homes, with a dedicated website and helpline in operation. Over 300,000 have already benefitted from this extra support.

Advice is also available in the courts themselves, with desks offering free, on-the-day legal advice and representation for those threatened with repossession. Even on the day of a hearing, around four in five repossessions can still be stopped if the households attend court and access free advice.

The government has also launched three financial support schemes, providing over 200,000 families help with their mortgage payments:

The Homeowners Mortgage Support (HMS) scheme is aimed to help those who have a temporary, unexpected drop in income; The Support for Mortgage Interest scheme helps those who have lost their jobs or receiving means tested benefits meet mortgage interest payments; the Mortgage Rescue Scheme is a £285m package of measures designed to prevent the most vulnerable families losing their homes.

Repossessions fell by 10% in the second quarter of this year, and the number of claims leading to a reposession order fell by 35% here in London.

The government is taking decisive action to ensure that homeowners don’t experience the trauma of repossession. During these difficult times, with finances under pressure, it is crucial that people are aware of all the support available – in most cases where people seek help they are able to stay in their homes.

Concerned homeowners can to go to www.direct.gov.uk/mortgagehelp, or contact the National Debtline on 0808 808 4000 for impartial advice.

Chuka Umunna, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Streatham, today backed Government plans to introduce compulsory licensing to deal with rogue wheel clamping companies in Lambeth.

Umunna welcomed the announcement by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that a consultation would be published shortly on proposals for a compulsory licensing scheme for wheel clamping companies.

This consultation will look at introducing compulsory licensing and industry-wide standards for:

• signage, including size and visibility;
• maximum penalties charged and payment methods;
• minimum time between immobilisation and removal;
• providing evidence that a parking infringement has taken place;
• security and location of pound where vehicles are impounded; and
• complaints and appeals policy.

The measures aim to tackle the limited number of wheel clamping companies whose dodgy practices include excessive penalties for releasing clamped cars, clamping emergency vehicles and those belonging to disabled drivers, impounding cars unreasonably quickly after being clamped, hidden or missing signs warning drivers that clamping takes place, and a lack of any appeals process for drivers.

The announcement comes in the wake of local resident and singer-songwriter Leo Ihenacho’s well publicized dispute with South East Clamping Ltd (SEC) which featured on the BBC’s Watchdog programme on 2 March 2009.

While Ihenacho had been away from his home, the management company of his block had started to use SEC to patrol the building’s car park. During his absence SEC had towed Ihenacho’s car away without him knowing anything about it, which resulted in legal action. Ihenacho said:
“for someone to be able to come and take it like that without information, prior knowledge, etc…its unbelievable”.

Commenting on the measures the government is taking, Umunna said:
“The licensing of individual wheel clampers has gone a long way to reducing malpractice and improving standards in the industry.
“But I know that local people want further action against the small minority of clamping companies who indulge in sharp practices, including unclear signage and excessive fees.
“The Government is looking at introducing a scheme for compulsory licensing of clamping companies, with clear industry standards that they have to meet.”
“Rogue wheel clampers shouldn’t be able to get away with unacceptable practices and I’ll be working with the Government to clamp down on dodgy clampers.”

Currently, any individual undertaking vehicle immobilising must hold a frontline licence from the Security Industry Authority, with supervisors or directors holding a non-frontline licence. The new proposals would also make it mandatory for the company itself to be licensed to help ensure they sign up to upholding standards of conduct, which will be enforced if they are not met.

A new grassroots organisation has recently been launched in our borough to bring together the valuable work being done by tenants and residents’ associations (TRAs). The One Community Network, which has been set up by TRA members themselves, is designed to create partnerships between communities under one umbrella organisation, encouraging interaction between residents, housing providers and those who deliver services locally.

This forum will help associations share best practice and expertise, work together on events and support associations with fewer resources. It will also allow associations to speak with a more unified voice when representing residents on the issues that matter locally.

Tenants and residents’ associations already play a hugely important role, providing a crucial forum for getting involved in improving local services. The One Community Network will enhance this work through increased collaboration, delivering a brighter future for residents across the borough.

Below, Dave McEvoy, Chair of Weir Estate Residents Association and of the One Community network, explains the ideas behind the concept:

Gabriel Huntley

A developer has made an application to Lambeth council to construct almost 300 new homes on Streatham High Road.

The proposals are to transform the land between Streatham Megabowl and Caesar’s nightclub into 286 housing units and a new retail area likely to include shops and restaurants. The current façade of the Megabowl will be preserved, but the rest of the existing buildings will be demolished.

The plans also include a community centre to be built on the site, and if the application is successful, it is likely Lambeth Council will request additional contributions are made towards developing public spaces and utilities.

This is a significant stage in the plans to regenerate Streatham High Road, thought to be the longest high street in Europe. It is important that local people have their views heard on this matter. You can do this by making a comment to Lambeth Council before the 12th January 2009.

The Megabowl redevelopment application and an online comments form can be found here.

To view the application offline, you can see copies of the proposals at Streatham Library or the Town Planning Advice Centre (Phoenix House, 10 Wandsworth Road).

For further information on the Megabowl development from Lambeth Council, you can contact Samantha Wells at swells {at} lambeth.gov(.)uk, on 020 7926 1138, or at Lambeth Planning, Phoenix House, 10 Wandsworth Rd, London SW8 2LL.

Carys Afoko