The petition of residents of the constituency of Kensington,
Declares that it is imperative that a physical police presence, that being defined as a police station with a counter, continues to be located within the boundaries of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, North of Holland Park Avenue/Notting Hill Gate; further that such a presence is needed because tackling crime in the area, particularly violent crime, poses significant challenges and the Grenfell community deserve to have a police presence; and further that a guarantee of police presence should be made as soon as reasonably possible and no later than the date set for the closure of Royalty Studios (North Kensington) Police Station.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to take immediate action to ensure that a physical police presence is retained and not withdrawn from Kensington.
And the petitioners remain, etc.
—[Presented by Felicity Buchan, Official Report, 6 July 2021; Vol. 698, c. 856.]
[P002672]
Observations from The Minister for Crime and Policing (Kit Malthouse):
On 4 February 2021, the Government published a total police funding settlement of up to £15.8 billion in 2021-22, an increase of up to £600 million compared with the 2020-21 settlement. From that, the Metropolitan Police Service’s funding will be up to £3.1 billion in 2021-22, an increase of up to £132.4 million on the 2020-21 police funding settlement.
Decisions on how to use funding and resources are an operational matter for the Commissioner and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime who are best placed to make resourcing decisions within their communities based on their local knowledge and experience, including the management of the police estate. In doing so the Government would hope they could canvass and assess the views of the local neighbourhoods concerned.
Housing, Communities and Local Government
Planning applications in Richmond Park
The petition of the residents of the United Kingdom,
Declares that localist planning principles must be applied to the former Stag Brewery planning application, GLA references 4172, 4172a & 4172b and the Homebase, Manor Road planning application, GLA reference 4795; further that weakening the planning decisions made by local authorities at local level risks allowing unsuitable development, including architecturally displeasing development, environmentally damaging development, and development that is not primarily designed to meet the need of the local community; further that the former Stag Brewery planning application cannot be seen in isolation from the Homebase, Manor Road application, the partial closure of Hammersmith Bridge and other relevant issues; further that GLA must institute a holistic approach by assessing the former Stag Brewery application and then reviewing the Homebase, Manor Road application accordingly.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government, and in particular the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government of the United Kingdom, to meet with Sarah Olney, MP for Richmond Park, to discuss the implications of the former Stag Brewery planning application and the Homebase, Manor Road planning application.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Sarah Olney, Official Report, 22 July 2021; Vol. 699, c. 1241.]
[P002685]
Justice
Independent assessment in family courts
Sandbach Cemetery
Treasury
Proposals for higher taxes on the super-rich
Santander Bath Road branch
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Observations from The Minister for Housing (Christopher Pincher):
The Government are committed to give more power to councils and communities to make their own decisions on planning issues and believe planning decisions should be made at the local level wherever possible.
With regard to the former Stag Brewery planning application, GLA references 4172, 4172a & 4172b, a resolution was reached at the GLA’s representation hearing that the planning applications be refused.
In respect of the Homebase, Manor Road planning application, GLA reference 4795, this application was considered against the call-in policy which is set out in the written ministerial statement made on 26 October 2012 by Nick Boles. After carefully considering the issues raised, it was decided that the intervention of Ministers would not be justified, and the application therefore remains for determination by the Mayor of London.