Sonia Kumar
Main Page: Sonia Kumar (Labour - Dudley)
Sonia Kumar (Dudley) (Lab)
I rise to present a petition on behalf of the residents of Dudley and Sedgley regarding the future of the Ladies Walk centre. It declares that the health and library services provided by the centre are at risk of closure, as no agreement has yet been reached to ensure that the lease for the property does not expire in March 2026. This facility is a vital community hub and a treasured lifeline for local people accessing essential care.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to communicate urgently with the owners of the Ladies Walk centre property, Dudley council and the NHS to secure the centre and stop its closure. Alongside the petition, which has gathered over 300 signatures, an online petition has gathered over 1,300 signatures at the time of presenting. This demonstrates the strength of feeling among the people of Dudley.
Following is the full text of the petition:
[The petition of residents of the constituency of Dudley,
Declares that Ladies Walk Centre, and the health and library services it provides, are at risk of closure because no deal has been done to ensure that the lease for the property does not expire in March 2026.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to urgently communicate with the owners of the Ladies Walk Centre property, Dudley Council and the NHS, asking that Ladies Walk Centre be saved from closure.
And the petitioners remain, etc.]
[P003069]
Matt Western (Warwick and Leamington) (Lab)
I rise to present a petition on behalf of the residents of the little village of Radford Semele. Locally, a separate petition has been signed by over 440 residents with regard to the proposed development of a 213 acre, 49.99 MW solar farm on their doorstep, just outside the village.
The petitioners’ concerns are about the loss of amenities, footpaths and the recreation area, the lack of Government scrutiny for such a large solar farm development, and the use of best and most versatile agricultural land. They are also concerned about the cumulative impact on the local area and the reported suspected use of forced labour in the developer’s supply chain. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to review and refuse the application for a solar farm near Radford Semele, Leamington.
Following is the full text of the petition:
[The petition of residents of the constituency of Warwick and Leamington,
Declares that that the proposed construction and associated planning application of a 49.99 MW solar farm and battery storage facility by Staffordshire Solar 1 Ltd., on Land to the west of Fosse Way and to the south-east of Radford Semele (W/24/1404), should not be approved; notes that the measures laid out by GB Energy, to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in its business or supply chains, should be the same conditions applied to this application to prevent the use, supply and involvement of forced labour in UK infrastructure projects; acknowledges that the scheme is only 0.01 MW below the acceptable tolerance stipulated by the Government’s 50 MW threshold, which would qualify the project as a nationally significant infrastructure project requiring greater scrutiny; further declares that the proposed site is located close to a substantial village and would impact on the recreational amenity of the residents; further declares that the proposed site comprises of grades 2 and 3a “best” and “most versatile” agricultural land, which should be protected from such industrial developments in accordance with planning regulations; and notes that that government data suggests that 3 additional solar farms, are either operational or being developed within 2 miles of the site.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to review and refuse the application for a solar farm near Leamington, to consider an alternative location within the nearby area or an onshore wind farm within a few miles, and to ensure that the local community is properly included in the proposal and planning of such energy schemes going forwards.
And the petitioners remain, etc.]
[P003071]