first mate

I have had woeful service since before Christmas but it has reached new heights. Also expecting two extremely important items of mail. A relative expecting the same but who lives elsewhere has received theirs. This is one indication that the problem is not nationwide and that a level of service has been maintained elsewhere, despite strikes. My own perspective is that major problems followed the closure of Sylvester Road. Does anyone know what the issue is at Peckham and whether anything is being done to sort things out? Letters sent out seem to arrive it is incoming mail that is the problem and this all does seem to point to an issue with Peckham sorting office.

Random fireworks at 12:20 pm. Anyone any idea why?

FWIW, I think yours looks more like a Field mouse, but am no expert.

If a brown or Field mouse, back legs will be much longer than front legs and it will likely have whiter fur on belly.

The speed of spring traps, if they work correctly, echoes what I was told by a rodent expert. If the back or neck is broken it is likely a fast death. If brown mice, creating a protected outdoor shelter in the garden, stuffed with wood shavings or similar, might be an option.

I'm not sure about 'humane' traps. Taking a highly social creature a huge distance from familiar territory and releasing it to certain death in other ways is probably no kinder in reality.

The current, rundown astroturf is useable by all completely free of charge. Is the smaller replacement recreational area also going to be completely free of charge? If not then my view is this is a loss to the community not a gain. My strong suspicion is this will become block booked by local schools and school clubs that will be able to fund the charges, more so because schools like the new Charter and the various local Harris schools have little in the way of useable playground. Moreover, the area will be available for hire by any relevant organisation throughout S'wark. Don't wish to seem negative but just not sure about this.

So the proposals for development are upheld? The old astroturf will be repurposed, a smaller recreation area built and for 'special reasons' it has been deemed okay for sections of MOL to be used as part of the redevelopment. The legal rationale for the latter is that there are plenty of other parks and green spaces within walking distance. This decision is supported by Mayor and GLA. So, precedent re repurposing of MOL now set? Bravo Southwark. Of housing stock to be built as part of development roughly a quarter to be social housing. Have I understood this?

Saving the facade was meant to be part of the plan from the outset. It is a local landmark and part of local history. Sounds like yet another example of poor management of building work. Had bulldozing the whole lot been on the cards from the outset it is unlikely the new build for the school would have garnered enough local support to get underway. Perhaps leaving the facade until last was a deliberate approach and there was always an intention to get rid of it? With other schools in the borough closing because of dwindling roll numbers we should not be in a hurry to lose the chateau. The new build is functional but hardly of any architectural merit.

Sounds like ABH at least and if you have serious bruising possibly even GBH. Surely the police have enough accounts and witnesses to detain this person in the interests of public safety?

Rose and Williams, but especially the former, came over as defensive and prickly to the extent I felt what has Rose got to hide?

Have just watched section on Calton Ave and disgusted by the way the Chair and Cllr Rose simply steamrollered their way through. Having seen Rose almost lose it with Clive Rates, red in the face and yelling at him for allegedly 'mansplaining" you do begin to wonder if she is a regular yeller at anyone who dares question or disagree with her?! She certainly knows how to play dirty in a public forum. In this instance, Cabinet seemed totally biased, unwilling to listen and the Chair did everything he could to undermine the veracity of the petition and more or less stated that the sitting council are determined to continue course based on a perceived 'mandate' re the last council election (though we know, as Clive stated today, LTNs were not mentioned at the time in the manifesto). The Chair more or less dismissed the petition presented today as nothing more than the the work of local Tory opposition. This is not democracy at work at all. It made me feel really uncomfortable.

It is just appalling that this prime site on which millions has been spent is housing a seemingly dysfunctional GP Practice run by Omnes Health. The community it is meant to serve is not getting value for money. As a final point, the former local hospital community garden was demolished. The courtyard garden in the new TJ Centre, visible from most angles and clearly meant to be a centrepiece, is slowly deteriorating. The planting is dying and overgrown with weeds. The facility was trumpeted as a state of the art replacement for the local hospital and yet we learn that parts of it are not working properly at all.

The stated preference is for emails direct to him. I imagine that enables him to keep control and avoid inconvenient discussions.

I find it odd that some cyclists would feel it necessary to press so hard to be allowed to cycle within a designated very small 'square'. The notion that the vast majority of cyclists somehow cannot dismount and walk a few yards is utterly bizarre and seriously unconvincing. In my view this junction should never have been closed to traffic but if it is to be permanent then this should include cycling, scootering etc.. those who are disabled and unable to walk, excepted.

If we are to think of the junction as a tiny 'square' then cyclists should dismount; I am sure an exception could be made for cyclists with such limited mobility they are unable to walk. Everyone else- dismount. Even those with cleats can walk a few paces in them. Cargo bikes can be pushed along a few yards by the parent or shopper, surely? If it is not a square but a junction, then normal rules of the road should apply. quote=northernmonkey post_id=2301556 time=1669656095 user_id=1102] @rockets - no I don’t agree with cyclists dismount for all the reasons exdulwicher has outlined above. It’s interesting to see how often all those against the measures claim to have been ‘nearly’ hit by bikes too. Nearly hit or ‘I saw a bike once’? If not maybe some of you are just spectacularly unlucky. The square is shared space. Everyone needs to be careful. I regularly stop for small kids wandering out unsupervised but way more often for adults looking at phones rather than where they’re going, however because I am going slowly it’s fine. Most people do this. There are some people who are idiots on bikes, there are also idiots in all modes of transport, the advantage of having the idiots on bikes rather than driving an SUV is the amount of damage they can do I guess. One final point you made was about the noise road bikes make and equating that with speed. I do think that the successful othering of cyclists has equated that noise with speeding bikes but all road bikes and even my Brompton makes it- people tend to hear it and assume speed but pootling along has the same effect and noise!

Before you go Mal, can you explain what the 'trap' was and why you set it? All Rockets seems to have done is post a response undermining something you posted earlier?

Pablogrande, Circular argument; the major reason for opposition to the scheme is the way the bikes and scooters are being left just lying here and there. So you are suggesting that all over London, groups of those in 'opposition', are picking up carefully parked bikes and placing them across paths or roads to create multiple obstructions? Seriously?

But now you are breaking your own 'rules' and guidance on post length. Do be consistent Mal and sorry if you are missing the love. I read your post and those sound like positive moves. Will check out the links.

The devil is in the detail, so Rocks please do continue to make your posts as long and detailed as you choose. I don't think any of us care much for the high- handed comments of our self-styled 'chief of post writing'. They would make their case so much better if they dropped the needling. I thought the Guardian article on Paris was interesting and definitely a wake up call. I guess this is what can happen when you force through change at too rapid a pace, there is too much unforeseen fallout and what seemed a good intervention in theory becomes the opposite in reality.

That's good. However, you must try to get the bad work identified and rectified at this builder's expense and don't let him near your wall. Take delivery of the door, since you paid for it but, again, make sure it is worth the money. If not, send this guy something in writing immediately. I agree with other posters, you need advice and fast on where you stand legally. Until then, don't pay him and don't let him do anything else.

Problems in Paris https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/23/pedestrian-jungle-the-row-in-paris-over-rented-e-scooters

Do not proceed with this guy. If electrics are falling off, the wiring itself may be faulty and that is potentially dangerous. Take photos of all the work and faults you can see. Hopefully you have not paid for the job in full, upfront? Do not pay any more money. Did you have a contract or schedule of works with the builder? If there are plans to knock through an external, supporting wall then I'd think a structural engineer would be involved to do calculations. The work will need to be signed off by Building Control. I'd drop this builder and look to get someone else in. If you have a schedule of works/ contract you may be able to take this guy to the small claims court, showing where he is in breach and costs to you of remedial work. Cupboards stuck to wall with glue. He sounds like a cowboy. Listen to your instincts.

Words fail. This is disgraceful. They really do not care about pollution or the truth. So, traffic count data that has been used to support the notion that car use has gone down since introduction of LTNs, is a massive lie. I hope those in the habit of posting 'your daily reminder' notes about data showing traffic evaporation, wake up and smell the coffee.