EDAus

Locking this thread as it's a duplicate of "Southwark request for comments re Covid-19 / healthier streets" /forum/read.php?32,2113728,2113998 which was started first. Admin Southwark are asking for resident?s views about ways that will help with social distancing, discouraging traffic, improving cycling/walking and identifying pinch points. One suggestion being raised again is filters on Melbourne Grove which would restrict vehicle access but allow walking and bikes. This could potentially displace traffic onto Chesterfield / Ashbourne / Bassano / Blackwater / Tell Grove / Colwell / Blackwater and Matham. It could also increase traffic on surrounding roads such as Lordship Lane potentially leading to an increase in standing traffic and pollution. Please provide your feedback / comments to Southwark: https://www.southwark.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/public-health/for-the-public/coronavirus/impact-on-council-services/coronavirus-help-us-combat-covid-19-by-suggesting-healthier-streets You can add comments under the ?How you can help section? by using a button called - ?Add comment?. When you press this a map of Southwark appears which you can use to pin / add your street and comments / concerns. Admin ? you can close the post etc., to new comments I just wanted to raise this, as it impacts a large number of local residents but was hidden in other threads where it may not be immediately obvious.

A campaign was held to close Melbourne Grove years ago and a large number of local objections meant it was stopped. While people understood there were issues with speeding and traffic on Melbourne Grove, their was a lack of consideration made for displaced local traffic. So once again - if they close Melbourne Grove to vehicle?s where does the traffic go, including residents? Are the residents of Melbourne Grove planning to give up their parking spaces and cars? Are they planning to drive up and down Chesterfield / Ashbourne / Bassino / Blackwater / Tell Grove / Colwell etc., to enter and exit in their cars? Are they proposing to displace local traffic onto smaller less equipped streets, impacting the safety and well-being of a large number of local residents?

Another recommendation for Adam who has been amazing at a really challenging time. We had some work booked in as it was causing structural issues with our house, it was started before the lock down and needed to be made safe afterwards - we have two small children so a part way option was not possible. Adam was amazing at coming back to do the work but keeping us safe. Without any contact he made the front and back yard safe so that the kids can get out and enjoy it. For the back garden he used the side entrance, no going through the house. He understoood our concerns and implemented the full social distance guidance, their was no need to come into contact with him. Highly recommend if anyone else needs any garden tidy up work undertaken or fence repairs etc.

Sent you a PM.

We used Katie Fisher once through the NHS and once privately - we would highly recommend her.

Another recommendation, Adam and his friend came to tidy up our very messy garden after a busy summer - it was very over run. They worked hard all afternoon, took away all the rubbish etc. We would highly recommend them.

We live on Ashbourne Grove and our driveway is constantly blocked by people parking across it. We don't want a CPZ but are fed up with the current situation. The lack of a clear consistent dropped curve strategy is a problem - our road is a typical example - some driveways are small and limited by humps and trees, some only have a space for small vehicles but large vehicles regularly park in them, others are full length of the properties and thus create no spaces between the houses for off street parking, one house has a joint driveway but I have seen cars park so close on either side the owners cannot get out. Plus the council properties / housing association trusts tend not to have / allow off street parking for some reason. We have been told of one council property which has 4 vehicles. We have also been warned not to park in certain places as nails appear in tyres or worse, certain people mark certain spots as their own.

I'll PM you, our au pair has just arrived from France.

We don't really want a CPZ but am starting to think we have no other option. We live on Ashbourne Grove and my driveway is parked over at least twice a day or more. When you ask people to move their car etc., you get called a 'sl*t, cu*t, entitled bit*h...' They do this in front of both my and their own children. We have had threats such as 'we know where you live, we have pictures of your children'. Our neighbours cars have had acid thrown on them and nails placed in the tyres, as have we. I know people who have now put up CCTV for their own safety. Many of these people work on Lordship lane. Yes we have called Southwark parking enforcement but people drive off and unless the car wheel is actually touching the flat section of the driveway they will not ticket, with the overhang of large cars it makes the driveway inaccessible but people get away with it so they keep doing it. Plus we have informed the council, the police etc., but really in the larger scheme of things it is not a priority with budget cuts etc. We have had people park across the drive and leave notes etc., which we have never refused, but they are a very small minority. Of an evening our street has ample parking for residents, maybe not right outside their door but ample parking. If a CPZ was implemented the council would actually start to be interested in enforcement until they will ignore the issues and complaints raised by residents.

Veterans Aid may be able to offer some assistance, they are based in at Victoria and have a hostel in East London. They are a wonderful charity. Their emergency number over Xmas is: 0751 8435 488. Web address: https://veterans-aid.net/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/careers/trainee-schemes-and-apprenticeships/journalism/dja

I have been unable to find any evidence that the council has a policy of engaging in direct discrimination against any religious groups i.e. refusing burials to any particular religious group or residents. It could be argued that the council's current policy of reusing certain sections of the cemetery is indirect discrimination as it fails to accommodate the needs of some religious residents i.e. Muslim or Jewish residents. The council would be within their rights to argue the defence of 'a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim' - the only way in which they can continue to provide burial services to the community, of which their is clear evidence of demand, is to use all the available resources at their disposal i.e. reuse of the land within the existing cemetery. The Equality and Human Rights Commission supplies the following guidance on religious discrimination (https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/religion-or-belief-discrimination): "Direct discrimination This happens when someone treats you worse than another person in a similar situation because of your religion or belief. For example, a bank refuses you a loan because you're Jewish. Discrimination can occur even where both the discriminator and the person being discriminated against hold the same religious or philosophical belief. For example a Hindu businessman interviews two women for a job as his personal assistant. One is Hindu and the other is not religious. The Hindu woman is the best candidate at interview but he gives the job to the other woman because he thinks his clients (who are mainly Christian or have no religion or belief) will prefer it. This is direct discrimination because of religion or belief. Indirect discrimination Indirect discrimination happens when an organisation has a particular policy or way of working that applies to everyone but which puts you at a disadvantage because of your religion or belief. For example, you are Jewish and you finish early on Fridays in order to observe the Sabbath. Your manager has changed the weekly team meetings from Wednesday afternoons to Friday afternoons and you are therefore often absent. Indirect religion or belief discrimination can be permitted but the organisation or employer must be able to show that the policy or way of working is necessary for the way the business operates. This is known as objective justification. Objective Justification To rely on the 'objective justification' defence, the employer or service provider or other organisation must show that its policy (or age-based rule) was for a good reason ? that is, 'a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim'. Some key points are: The aim must be a real, objective consideration, and not in itself discriminatory. For example, ensuring the health and safety of others would be a legitimate aim. If the aim is simply to reduce costs because it is cheaper to discriminate, this will not be legitimate. Working out whether the means is ?proportionate? is a balancing exercise. Does the importance of the aim outweigh any discriminatory effects of the unfavourable treatment? There must be no alternative measures available that would meet the aim without too much difficulty and would avoid such a discriminatory effect. If proportionate alternative steps could have been taken, the policy (or age-based rule) is unlikely to be justified."

Thanks Sally, Southwark they have come out once and left some documentation on the car but as yet no-one has appeared to move the car, it is all very frustrating. Planning to call Southwark again tomorrow. Thanks for your help.

For over a week your car has been parked well over a drives clearly marked white access lines. Obviously you don't care that the person using this driveway has a disability. On Christmas day the family had to park a distance down the road and move their disabled loved one in the freezing cold. This is not our driveway or your car would have been towed away, it is our lovely neighbours who saw you had a child's car seat and did not want to ruin your Christmas. I would move your car quickly as we, the neighbours are pushing to get your car ticketed for each day it blocks access or better yet towed away as soon as possible.

Have to add to the above posts. Steve is simply wonderful - he came out today to fix our washing machine, on time, really reasonable call out fee and problem fixed in good time. As a Mum with a 5 year old and 5 month old I needed it sorted quickly and without a fuss. While Steve was working we also chattered about some problems I had with an old dishwasher which had to replaced after a less than honest trades person had charged the earth for repairs which failed the first time - Steve also fixes dishwashers which I did not know at the time!. Steve gave some amazing tips to ensure the new dishwasher functions well and to increase it's life span. You simply don't find trades people like Steve every day.

While I support the overall initiative and thought behind the proposal, I find it concerning that the application is being targeted at streets which already support other forms of restricted parking. Ashbourne Grove already has three restricted spaces - 2 for people with disabilities and 1 for a car share - both of which I totally support and are widely used. Should this be approved Ashbourne Grove will lose a total of 6 car spaces, placing pressure on an already busy road with existing parking issues. It feels disproportionate. As a resident of Ashbourne Grove we have people park across our drive on a daily basis, they do not leave a note or any contact details. Often cars park just a little bit over the white line not caring that someone does the same thing on the other side making access absolutely impossible. While I know we could get a designated driveway, we don't want to do this, as when the road is busy our neighbours park across our driveway which we support - as they are always happy to move when we asked. We will be emailing our Councillors and would encourage others to do so.

Thanks Melph91 I had no idea will print one off. I have a small stock of things just in case. My nephew has ADHD which is made worse by sugar so we have always provided alternatives. Plus a friends little girl has sensory issues so we often do things earlier or later when things are calmer for her. I just want to everyone to have fun!

If any little ones cannot eat chocolates or sweets but would like to participate in trick and treat if you private message me the little ones details i.e. age etc, we can get a little toy or another option available for them. I can private message you our address so you can come by on the night and collect the little goodies.

We have one and love it, only bought two weeks ago and I wished I had bought one sooner. Agree get the cover it really helps.

Thank you so much everyone for the feedback my friend has really appreciated it.

Posting for a friend who is trying to decide between Kings College and St Thomas for the birth of her baby in November. Any feedback would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance EDF.

Went in on the weekend and I love the shop lots of choice it was hard to make final decisions. Maria was approachable, knowledgeable and really patient with my selections! I ended up with a number of materials and panels for Xmas stockings. I will definitely be heading back as soon as I have completed my current projects. Great addition to Lordship Lane.

It feels like SSW only use the EDF for propaganda purposes. Requesting questions but only via email is an interesting way to gather personal data and keep issues hidden. I have produced an updated summary of the questions to date, there is no need for SSW to look through the thread for buried material. SSW could have chosen to very quickly & easily: 1) point people to their relevant FAQ or 2) get other people to do the responses for Blanche & then she could post the responses here. One person running a campaign could be seen both as a single point of failure or more unfavourably as a dictatorship. When I ask questions of other EDF members I normally get a response - the only questions going unanswered here are those directed to SSW. SSW have set themselves up as an authority on this issue & have been recognised as a stakeholder by Southwark Council therefore it is key that they communicate evidence/facts in an impartial & professional manner. The ends do not justify the means - how a campaign is run is just as important as what is trying to be achieved. It feels like a massive failure that despite the council starting consultation in 2011-2012 'a friends of CNC or COC group' has not been set up to push the case for preservation and/or a nature reserve.

Blanche - I think you are doing a real disservice to people on the EDF. Some of us have actually lived on picket/protect lines to defend what we believe in including the environment. This also means that we will not rush in wildly without sound cause backed by a properly run campaign. The green spaces mentioned are active cemeteries, they are not taking space they are using it for it's designated purpose. I am sorry that you are ill and wish you a speedy recovery. It seems unfair that you are not able to delegate this work to other individuals - with over 10,000 supports is some else not able to help out until you feel better? As mentioned I have put together a summary for you - attached to my post above, when recovered you could start by answering the outstanding questions. Re: emails, unfortunately due to the action of some of your supporters I am not comfortable sending correspondence to SSW via this method - I suspect others feel the same.

Hi Sue - is this version any better? If not, let me know and I will enlist greater technical assistance.