first mate

Does anyone know if Peckham sorting office has been investigated? My postal service continues to be dire and I am now really concerned about where all the missing mail has gone and whether it has been tampered with. It just feels as though RM do not give a stuff, there is no robust complaints process and they are getting away with it.

Thanks Legal. I have skimmed. Is there anything in for Dulwich Village, close to bike friendly Dulwich Square? Surely this is now a destination worthy of a dedicated hire bike parking/storage area?

And anyone who cares about democracy, transparency and a degree of plain old honesty, should continue to call out the imposition of LTNs.

Thanks legal. I see The Friends of Dulwich Square got £3000.. for what, I wonder? Cannot believe the cost of cycle hangars. £5000 for a hangar in Friern Road.

I would agree with paying more tax and for the council to focus on getting the basics right; road and path maintenance, waste collection etc.. as for free events, I am not really sure why the council need to offer these. In times of plenty then fine.

No problem with a self funding events team and for the range of free events but I don't think that quiet green spaces, the "lungs of the borough", should be sacrificed for weeks at a time, mid summer, to become a fund generator.

I wanted to add to this the relationship between urbanisation, loss of access to green and quiet environments, and stress. We really have to think carefully about losing green, quiet spaces for regular noisy, consumer events (pushing alcohol). Again, there are other, multiple venues for this, if people want it. The Council are not trying to improve the health of residents or improve the quality of parks. They simply want another revenue stream.

Another dodgy deflection attempt there by Mal.

And in that same thread /viewtopic.php?t=2249079&hilit=harriet+harman DuncanW was asking in 2021 how far left Southwark CLP was and was told by an insider "very" and who also described it as probably the most far left in the country.

"Clean air is a human right, not a privilege"... interesting in the context of LTNs.

In fairness, I suppose Thames Water may be keen to explain why pipes keep bursting and increased "weight of traffic" caused by LTNs is handy. Perhaps replacing the pipes in that area is now almost impossible as where would the traffic go while extensive work is underway?

My postal service is still abysmal and really important post missing.

Fascinating how frequently pipes are bursting, despite seemingly years of work and disruption locally. At the same time, TW currently installing residential water meters all around at break neck speed. Incredible how many personnel and resources they can throw at that.

I don't have strong feelings either way but, yes, the bias is plain for all to see, especially when we consider the rationale for extending Gala in the park to a month has been built around the narrative of the Council's really strong desire to fund free community events. It will be fascinating to see which ' community' events they push and which not.

This reminds me of one of the early cycling activists on here who objected to mobility scooters in cycle lanes, as this would slow down cyclists. They felt mobility scooters should go into bus lanes or on footpaths!

Too much grandstanding and back slapping for my liking, what with Cllr McAsh' references to himself and SLP being a latter- day Robin Hood, taking from the rich to give to the poor; Cllr Smith's bizarre turn on memories of wholesome school dinners in the 50's as his justication for approving the budget, and Cllr Rose... She had to be closed down by the Chair. Thanks LA for supplying the written answer to the events question. The answer was rather vague, I felt, on benefits to the park and also on the size and costs for the events team.

Could not see where issue was raised or answered. Cllr Rose gave a long, defiant speech supporting events in parks. Interesting to see Council politics play out. Really unedifying actually. For most involved it just seems a great game, however much they go on about their values and visions.

Clearly, absolutely anyone that dares so much as question LTNs is a fascistic-climate-denying-antisemite-anti-vaxxer-hip-hop-loving-petrol-headed- mansplainer...and that includes the women too!

Awaiting a vital and time limited piece of mail that I know for a fact was posted first class, 30th Jan. Things are no better.

Whatever the technicalities of what HH can or cannot do, it does read as though the group is being blocked one way or another, as well as framed in a misleading way (activists). It does not feel very democratic. And yes, a number of us saw how the reps were treated by Cllrs Williams and Rose at the famous "mansplaining" outburst.

Mal, I agree and although I love them we just cannot have them in the city.

I was tickled to see George Monbiot decided he could no longer use his. On this one I agree. I love a woodburner or open fire, who doesn't. However, having read the data I just don't see how anyone living in the city can use one with a clear conscience. If it really is your only source of heating then there may be a case and you live in the Scottish Highlands then that is different, but in London...? No.

Should wood burners be banned immediately, especially on LTNs, where air pollution is the driver for reducing traffic. Alternatively, should owners of these stoves be fined each time the stoves are used?

I think there will be all sorts of spinning and machinations to make the extension happen next year so we do need to stay vigilant. Remember, Southwark want the money so they can burnish their free community events tick box. That is what this is really all about. The fact this has been framed as park 'improvement' is laughable.

I also think choosing to use the word activist looks extremely weighted and bad form. Are other interested groups, but those with views more in line with Southwark Labour, also referred to as activists? Is there also a demand for full disclosure of detail of all those other group members before our MP or Councillors engage, I doubt it.