What can the council do to make things easier during COVID-19?

seenbeen · April 23, 2020

Also I do believe that work has resumed on the Old Sorting Office judging from the direction of the noise this morning!

Jakido · April 24, 2020

Given we will be socially distancing for another 12 months, I wonder what the council can do to make life as good as possible.

Obviously looking after the most vulnerable must be a priority, but what other low cost ideas are there:

- to protect local businesses and create jobs and

- make space for exercise

- maintain community spirit

Seems like having a plan for east Dulwich for the next 12 months would be good thing for councillors and the community to do to ensure limited resources are invested well. And that we can harness the efforts of the community to help implement the plan.

Earl Aelfheah · April 27, 2020

@James - are there any plans for temporary extension to pavements, or pop up bike lanes, so that people can get around whilst socially distancing, without having to walk in the road? Yes, there are fewer cars, but there are also increased speeds.

andynic · April 28, 2020

https://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?Id=6585&EVT=103 - Lambeth are making those sorts of changes, haven't seen anything from Southwark yet.

yorksgirl · April 28, 2020

rahrahrah Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> @James - are there any plans for temporary

> extension to pavements, or pop up bike lanes, so

> that people can get around whilst socially

> distancing, without having to walk in the road?

> Yes, there are fewer cars, but there are also

> increased speeds.

Or maybe even better, when relaxation starts but distancing still needed, make Lordship Lane totally car free, let the stores and cafes expand onto the pavements and let people walk in the road - so they can actually keep enough distance apart, this being otherwise impossible when there's traffic. Copying this - which looks like a fab idea - see The Guardian 28 April -

- Lithuanian capital to be turned into vast open-air cafe .

Jakido · April 28, 2020

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/28/lithuanian-capital-to-be-turned-into-vast-open-air-cafe-vilnius

Jakido · April 28, 2020

Helpfully Southwark already sketches out how they could expand the pavements to offer additional space as part of the (failed) parking proposal I think.

dbboy · April 28, 2020

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-52456200

jamesmcash · April 29, 2020

Hi all,

First, a response to a query from a little while back:

Yorksgirl - The vast majority of Southwark's public toilets should be equipped with hot water - including all of those in parks. The only exception I have found so far is in East Street. With regard to pubs and supermarkets this is something we can look at in the longer term.

Second, thanks to everyone who has raised points about pavement-widening and other suggestions for safe active transport. I have been pushing the council on this matter and am happy to say that they are exploring it. I am told there should be an announcement in the near future on our first initiative.

The challenges of council resources, particularly during the lockdown period, mean that we inevitably will not be able to reallocate road space everywhere in the borough, but we will consider carefully where we can do this to ensure safe social distancing where we can.

Third, I have a couple of updates regarding children and young people.

Laptops and equipment for Southwark children and young people

If a child or young person is unable to access and complete work that has been set online because they do not have access to a laptop (or other essential equipment) then they can apply for an immediate grant from the Newcomen Collett Foundation. Once accepted, the foundation will aim to get the laptop to the student within 4 days.

The fund is only available for Southwark students up to age 25. There are only a limited number of laptops available, so please reach out to those young people and families in most need.

Parents or students have to apply online, and will need access to an internet/broadband service. They will need a school, college or university teacher/lecturer to support their application and to countersign a supporting form that will need to be sent off along with the main application form. To apply, the child/ parent should go to online applications (https://marshalls.flexigrant.com/areadetail.aspx?farea=1121) then follow the link to 'grants to individuals'. Alternatively, the school or university can apply via this link on their behalf.

Free school meals

Schools and families eligible for free school meals have now converted over ?20 million worth of vouchers into supermarket gift cards (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance). Vouchers can either be sent directly to the family, or to the school.

The DfE are temporarily extending free school meal eligibility to include some children of groups who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF), subject to a maximum household earnings threshold of ?7,400 per annum.

These groups are:

? children of Zambrano carers

? children of families with no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights

? children of families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction

The DfE are also temporarily extending eligibility to children of a subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

The extension, effective immediately and lasting until the schools reopen fully, is temporarily in place to support families facing difficulties due to the current unique circumstances. It covers both children who are attending school and children who are at home.

Best wishes,

James

yorksgirl · May 3, 2020

James thank you for looking into the lack of hot water in parks etc. It is good to know that all the Council public facilities except East Street do have the capacity to provide hot water. If we find that there is only cold water them, we just need to ask for the hot water to be switched on. That's really helpful.

Donna101 · May 5, 2020

The noise in Crystal Palace Road from the road works is completely unacceptable. I am working at home and have zoom meetings. It's like living on a building site. The council is completely inconsiderate. Maybe you can help with this. How can you do this to people, why does it need to be done now of all times?

Peckhampam · May 5, 2020

There must however be a powerful argument that this is the ideal time to undertake roadworks when there is so little traffic on the road. This does not help your individual situation of course. But I have found that zoom meetings are far more effective with headphones on, and good sound cancelling ones will also protect you against the noise.

KidKruger · May 5, 2020

Road works ARE noisy and they were notified some days in advance by signs on the street lampposts to assure cars didn't park in the way during the road works yesterday. Not sure what else the road team and contractors could have done (or how quiet you expect invasive road works to be). And yes, I live right by one of the junctions worked-on yesterday.

I've been on Zoom meetings yesterday (headphones), no problem at all, especially if working towards back of house.

For a day, FFS.

Expecting silence during road works in not reasonable. Expecting no road works to be done because people are working form home is not reasonable. Expecting road teams to NOT take advantage of quiet roads, to minimise traffic congestion problems, is not reasonable !

Donna101 Wrote:

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> The noise in Crystal Palace Road from the road

> works is completely unacceptable. I am working at

> home and have zoom meetings. It's like living on a

> building site. The council is completely