Battersea elects its first woman MP Battersea has a new MP: a cent in Wandsworth Common. Conservative for the first time in 13 Elections for Wandsworth Council years and a woman for the first were also held on 6 May. Labour time ever. In 2005 Labour won gained four seats, so the council Battersea with the smallest of now has 47 Conservative members margins: 163 votes. This time round with a Labour opposition of 13. Jane Ellison (pictured) came first with a 6,000 majority. Councillors elected for the The result represents a swing to seven Battersea wards the Conservatives of 6.5per cent, Balham: Paul Ellis, Russell King, following a similar swing at the last Caroline Usher. general election. Despite the Fairfield: Vanessa Graham, Piers expectations raised by the televised McCausland, Stuart Thom. debates the Liberal Democrats Latchmere: Tony Belton, Simon scarcely increased their share of Hogg, Wendy Speck. the vote. With a few exceptions the next. Northcote: Jenny Browne, Peter London does not appear to be The Conservatives held the seat Dawson, Martin Johnson. fertile ground for the Lib Dems. between 1987, when John Bowis Queenstown: Jo-Anne Nadler, Nicola Nardelli, Alexander won it from Alf Dubs, and 1997. Raubitschek. Young professionals Both Mr Bowis and Lord Dubs are St Mary’s Park: Mark Davies, John patrons of the Battersea Society. Battersea had a strong left-wing Hallmark, Tessa Strickland. tradition, electing one of the first Shaftesbury: Jonathan Cook, black mayors and a communist MP, High turnout James Cousins, Guy Senior. Shapurji Saklatvala, in the 1920s. Turnout was 66%, the highest since However the pattern has been 1997, when it reached a high of 71 changing, with an exceptionally per cent. There was considerable large number of young variation between wards, with just See page 3 and 7 for interviews professionals moving in and a very half the electoral register voting in with the new and former MPs and high turnover of residents. More the new ward of Roehampton and page 9 for interviews with two of than half the voters on the register Putney Heath, compared to 70 per the new Wandsworth councillors. can change from one election to The Battersea, Putney and Wands- Local societies to press for 20mph zone in residential roads worth Societies plan to make a joint approach in calling on Wandsworth The Battersea and would be very grateful if you could Borough Council to establish 20mph Society is anxious spare the very short time it will take to zones in all side road across the bor- to find out the answer a couple of simple questions . ough. views of as many We will publish the result in the next The BBC reported last year on a study of its members as issue of Battersea Matters. which shows the benefit of such possible on this You can find the poll at schemes. You can read the report by matter. batterseasociety.org.uk/20mph going to tinyurl.com/2uhgwdq . We have set up a poll on our website, Don’t forget to visit our website: batterseasociety.org.uk for regular updates on Battersea Society news, events & planning matters sown itself in a small window box, From the Editor like a salmon landing in a goldfish I make no apology for the fact that bowl. Jasmine scents the evening this issue of Battersea Matters is air. In my street a couple of us did a full of politics. The government and little autumnal guerilla gardening the council affect all our lives and and it has been fun to see the local government in particular wallflowers and daffodils we influences the way our community planted bloom on a neglected site. develops. While the national media explore the wider picture we need Buzzing to get to know the views of our The article on urban beekeeping local representatives. (page 10) is inspiring. Could some Perhaps the Society should develop of us make space in our gardens or some guided walks using the trails. Open Gardens roof terraces to host a hive? Just As someone who has delivered Yet again there is no SW11 garden think of the peaceful buzzing, not the occasional leaflet in my time, I in the National Gardens Scheme’s to mention the benefit to your have a proposal to put to Jane open gardens project. However I plants from the free pollination. It’s Ellison. The government should hope that many members will enter a reminder too to opt for buying make ankle-level and stiff-to-open the free Wandsworth in Bloom local honey. letterboxes illegal, with dire but appropriate penalties (finger awards before the closing date of amputation?) for law-breakers. 18 June (see page 8). Walking Heritage Postmen and election workers round my neighbourhood recently I In the last issue we showcased a everywhere would be grateful. have seen far too many privet new booklet on heritage walks in hedges and spotted laurel bushes Battersea. This is now in all local Jenny Sheridan for my liking, but there have also libraries, and very attractive it is. [email protected] 020 7350 2794 been many delights. A foxglove has So the new Routemaster bus is daresay – a new bus The Man on the Battersea bus unveiled – and a sleek looking which costs six times Mike Roden reflects on buses, politics and walking beastie it is (see below). For those the price of the much still agile enough, the pleasures of vilified bendy bus and carries half delighted to see improvements. leaping onto an open platform have the number of passengers... The closure of the old heliport returned. As indeed have the less control tower means that shortly a pleasurable possibilities of Coalition new stretch of footpath will be dismounting into the path of a Coalition politics is of course opened removing an irritating something that the Battersea cyclist overtaking the bus on the detour via Lombard Road. Society understands well. As a inside. Then a cheery London bus There is already an exit near Society we are not partisan in any conductor will clip chunks from Battersea Reach onto Wandsworth your oyster card and urge you to way, other than when standing up Bridge, ending another lengthy move along inside. for the rights of Battersea. Our detour onto the noise of York Road members hold differing views on Well, some of the time perhaps. – and in a matter of months many other subjects of course – At night, and ‘during quiet times’ walkers, runners and cyclists will be and it was instructive (and the open door will be closed, and able to pass under the bridge the uniformed helper nowhere to heartening) to see that members arriving conveniently at the Ship who get on perfectly well at Society be seen. Progress of a kind I Inn. events, were involved in more than one fierce electoral Small changes for the better are battle on different sides, for always worth celebrating, because the Council, and even in the in the end they add up to big Parliamentary election. changes for the better. Walk this way As a regular walker along the riverside between St Mary’s See you next time Church and Putney I’m Mike Roden 2 “I’m a ‘small l’ liberal Conservative” across society. Everyone will be Jenny Sheridan meets Battersea’s new MP asked to make sacrifices.” On local issues, she points out that “I’m very excited to be Battersea’s planning is a matter for the local MP. And a little daunted,” said Jane council, though she spoke out Ellison over a cappuccino in a against the Clapham Junction Northcote Road café in May. “All of towers proposal. “I’m not against us new MPs need to get clued up tall buildings in general, but it quickly about constituency depends on the context. But casework. I want to get stuck in as Battersea isn’t a suburb, it’s close soon as possible.” to central London.” At the Society’s meeting with the architects of the Diverse new American embassy she was Ms Ellison has lived in the impressed by the intellectual clarity constituency since March 2007, with which they outlined their having been selected as the decision-making about the Conservative Party’s candidate the building’s shape. previous year. “My partner John and I love it. It’s so vibrant and Hidden homes lively and diverse. There are The MP is full of praise for the bustling high streets and then appreciates the hard work that Council’s ‘hidden homes’ scheme. London landmarks like the Power volunteers do. “I’m a member of All new large developments should Station and the park. And it’s the Battersea Society and the include affordable housing, she unusual to have such a lot of Friends of Battersea Park. I hugely says, though she would not be greenery so near to central London. enjoy going to community events.” drawn on the proportion. She is in I used sometimes to cycle through favour of schemes to convert rent Battersea Park and it was joyous to Opportunity to mortgage, believing that people see such a cross-section of people Why did she become a who own their home are more enjoying themselves – young Conservative? “I have a strong committed to their locality. people picnicking, kids playing, belief in the freedom of the Regarding the Power families, older people with dogs. individual. We should give people Station redevelopment, she says It’s one of London’s great the opportunity to succeed rather that the only way to make it treasures.” than the state dictating the course affordable is to improve the of their life to them.