RobMiller

Some friends run a website with loads of information about rearfacing seats: www.rearfacing.co.uk and it didn't take long to persuade us that this was the right option for our two 1 year olds (the crash test videos are quite convincing...). We've ended up with the Britax 2 way seats, which are good if you don't have isofix, but do also have the extra tethers that Molly mentions. They don't have the leg though which is important if your car is like ours and has storage compartments in the passenger footwell. The only downside is that for some bizarre reason Britax won't sell them to UK retailers, so we had to get them from the in-car safety centre in Milton Keynes who import them back from Scandinavia! We went straight from the baby seats to these ones so J and T have only ever looked backwards, but they haven't grumbled yet. I would, however, recommend a mirror so you can see what they're up to!

Just in case the forum's track and trace magic works for inanimate objects as well as pets... one of our sons recklessly jettisoned the pale blue blanket his Grandma knitted for him, somewhere between Lordship Lane and Friern Road. We'd be delighted if anyone could help us locate it, but will otherwise console ourselves that at least it wasn't the baby that went by the board. Thanks in advance. Rob

Indeed! Lots of us have written to Dr Daniel Moynihan (who heads up Harris) and to our MPs and Councillors. The meeting which Harris have decided not to attend has been arranged by the Labour Councillors in Peckham and Nunhead as an opportunity to discuss the planning issues. It's a shame that Harris don't think that it's worth attending as the local community are really keen to work through the issues with them and ensure that the final proposals work and are the best compromise (acknowledging that the school is needed and is bound to have some impact). If the school is delayed this won't be because the local residents want to stop it happening, it will be because Harris are refusing to engage with the community.

I'll start by declaring an interest - I do live near the proposed school, but not close enough that it'll be looming over my back yard. Cuthbert Dibble misrepresents the position of the people he is accusing of being "Nimbys". I don't buy Macroban's slippery slope scenario and certainly everyone I've spoken to (as the-e-dealer points out) is either actively in favour of a school or at the least sees it as a far better option than a Tescos or more flats. The problem here is that Harris have not just developed their plans without making the effort to speak to their neighbours but are now actively refusing to get involved in any discussion even at this late stage - the latest news is that they've declined to come along to this afternoon's meeting to discuss their plans with locals and councillors. Anyone who actually went along to their information evening on June 5th will know that their representatives were simply taking a "that's how it's going to be" line. If we presume that people have some right to express an interest in how their local area is developed then surely it's not unreasonable to ask for answers to questions like: - What is the reason for having 2 sixth forms, 1 at each site? If Harris were to honour their original committment (made to local parents) to have 1 sixth form on the larger Homestall Rd site then the number of places required at the new site would be c. 750. Bingo! A 20% reduction with knock on benefits for the size of building required. - What steps will Harris take to manage the traffic impact? The proposals presented on the 5th would embarass a GCSE student let along professional consultants such as those hired by Harris. The Planning rules can impose requirements on a developer but it wouldn't have been especially difficult for Harris to make some sensible suggestions before the application goes to Planning committee. - Is it really necessary to demolish the existing building? Other South London developments have managed to incorporate the original buildings in creative ways. None of this is an attempt to get in the way of what will be an important contribution to the local community. It's simply a request for Harris to take their responsibilities as a good neighbour seriously and make the effort to engage in a discussion. If I needed to do that to replace a garden fence, I don't think it's that unreasonable to expect someone building a major development to do the same.