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

[R U IN ED]

"Please lift car parking charges for NHS staff in hospitals!!!!"

I totally agree with you Kate7. I can't believe NHS staff has to pay car parking with the hard work they are doing...

[dbboy]

dbboy Wrote:

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

> COUNCILLORS - A response to this thread would give

> residents some reassurance, one that you can be

> measured on, in terms of what YOU as Elected

> Representatives and council officers/staff are

> being instructed to react to do in these unusual

> times.

>

> Now is Your time to STEP UP and come out of the

> shadows you so like to operate in. If you don't

> perform now at this time of need, the electorate

> will NOT forget or forgive you at the next round

> of local elections.

[Spartacus]

James

Something simple you can do is make sure that the refuse collectors put bins back inside people's gates when they empty them

Today they emptied mine then left it in the middle of the foot path thus forcing me to leave my house contrary to the instructions from the government last night to stay in and not leave your house

Please make this action a priority to protect people

For information the refuse collectors are doing a good valid role but this is a an addition measure they can do to help us all

[Pootle]

Please stop construction work in residential areas. Why is demolition going ahead at the old PO site on Silvester/Pellatt Roads, while neighbours are stuck at home, many of them NHS staff on shifts?

[seenbeen]

Pootle Wrote:

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> Please stop construction work in residential

> areas. Why is demolition going ahead at the old PO

> site on Silvester/Pellatt Roads, while neighbours

> are stuck at home, many of them NHS staff on

> shifts?

Yes, I went past on my daily walk and they had a large pneumatic drill in action on the roof - you can hear it several hundred yards away. We have builders next door doing a major project and I was in the garden and they turned the cement mixer off for their 30 minute lunch break....peace at last- BUT someone else in their garden nearby decided to turn their stereo up loud...selfish people in this neck of the 'woods'- we can all do that

[jamesmcash]

Dear all,

Thanks for your comments and questions. Apologies for the lateness in replying ? everything at school has been very hectic but now we are operating a skeleton staff I will able to respond quicker.

Please note, I check my emails much more frequently than I check on here so if you need a response it?s always best to email

Onto your comments

R U IN ED - I agree. We need as much stability as possible for the moment. I have pushed for the East Dulwich CPZ to be postponed and Cllr Livingstone is looking into it. I will let you know.

Rockets ? Good idea about the ipad for those in care homes. We are looking into this and similar ideas to ensure that older people can use digital connectivity to tackle isolation and loneliness.

kate7 ? a very good point. At the moment I do not think that much enforcement is happening ? it cannot exactly be described as ?essential? ? but I have raised the issue for when things become a bit more normal.

Spartacus ? if the refuse collectors are leaving bins in the wrong place then please email me with your address and I will look into it. But if the issue is regarding the bins being left in the normal place then this is trickier: asking the refuse collectors to do more work than they would usually is going to be hard when the workforce is reduced due to sickness and self-isolation.

Pootle ? I agree. I do not see why non-essential construction work should continue. However, the government guidance is that it should, so long as social-distancing is enforced, so there is not a lot the council can do. I am staying on top of the issue though ? I have had a fair few emails about this.

I hope everyone is keeping safe in this difficult time.

Best wishes

James

[yorksgirl]

Hello James

Please may I suggest that the Council makes sure the best use is being made of the allotment sites it owns and leases out.

There are many people on low incomes (or indeed no incomes) at the moment who could hugely benefit from being able to grow their own fresh healthy produce. And who really need it at the moment. However, anyone applying for an allotment in Southwark will be told that there are enormous waiting lists and the process by which people get allotments can seem truly mysterious.

Two key things the Council can do. Tell the allotment managing committees that they must:

1. Stop the long standing situation where a number of individuals have multiple allotments, both on the same site and across different sites in the borough. (E.g the wheeze where one individual works more than one plot, but claims the second one is actually held by their brother / mother, etc).

2. Stop the long standing abuse by quite a few allotment holders wbo regularly sell produce from their allotments at farmer's markets. The law is, clearly, that allotments are for growing food for personal use only, not for profit. These people obviously don't need the allotments to feed themselves and their families, which is what allotments are (legally) provided for.

If the Council insisted that the local allotment sites are properly run, they would benefit a lot more people! (I realise it is not an easy task, the mafia cannot hold a candle to the machinations and territoriality of many an allotment holder).

[KidKruger]

Wow, I'm flabbergasted that people either use their plots to make money or take more than one plot fraudulently, how selfish is that ?!

Not the community-spirited allotment-holder-mindset I'd envisaged (admittedly, with no prior knowledge or experience).

[jamesmcash]

Hi both

Thanks for raising this. Allotments are such an important part of our social infrastructure and it makes me sad to think that they are being misused in this way.

It's difficult to police the use of allotments though, the council does not monitor who is using them. However, if you have reason to believe that a particular allotment is being misused then please let me know and I will flag it up. Best to drop me an email on [email protected]

That said, it is unlikely that anything will happen while the crisis is ongoing. The council is increasingly moving to only delivering urgent services as these have picked up dramatically while staff availability has fallen.

I hope this is helpful.

Best wishes

James

[monica]

Hi

The retailers on Lordship lane and Northcross Rd have emailed the councillors at Southwark council and have asked if they could postpone the CPZ. So far we have received responses indicating they are looking into the postponement.

James is also Ccd on the email.

We have also formed a business group and are working together in this current situation and other ED related business issues.

Shoplifting and the circulation of fake notes have increased in the last 6 months, we are working with the local neighbourhood police and our local councillors Victoria and Charlie, to try and deal with this and other anti social behaviour.

Hopefully you would have seen the police in and around East Dulwich.

[Paulo]

Lots of useful information on the council website, including a link to Southwark?s Emergency Support Scheme, accessing food banks and organisations to volunteer with.

Best wishes all

https://www.southwark.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/public-health/for-the-public/coronavirus

[R U IN ED]

Hi James,

As per your message on the 24th of March, I wonder if you had received an update from the council? (re: "R U IN ED - I agree. We need as much stability as possible for the moment. I have pushed for the East Dulwich CPZ to be postponed and Cllr Livingstone is looking into it. I will let you know.")

Tomorrow is the last working day before the CPZ goes live on Monday 30th of March.

Many thanks for your time.

[dc]

R U IN ED Wrote:

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

> Hi James,

>

> As per your message on the 24th of March, I wonder if you had received

> an update from the council? (re: "R U IN ED - I agree. We need as much

> stability as possible for the moment. I have pushed for the East Dulwich

> CPZ to be postponed and Cllr Livingstone is looking into it. I will

> let you know.")

>

> Tomorrow is the last working day before the CPZ goes live on Monday 30th

> of March.

>

> Many thanks for your time.

It is the Peckham West CPZ that is due to go live shortly (not ED).

As the ?Coronavirus? section of Southwark?s site (linked to by @Paulo above) explains, many aspects of parking enforcement generally have been put on hold. In that zone specifically (PW) there will be an extended period of warning notices.

https://www.southwark.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/public-health/for-the-public/coronavirus/coronavirus-parking-restrictions-and-controlled-parking-zones

[scarlettbanks]

James - Warwick Gardens in Peckham is still open, as it should be. The north entrance has a heavy metal gates ? each person that enters the park needs to push open the gate with their hands ? I think this is dangerous from an infection control point of view. Could something be done urgently to keep the gates open somehow, so that they don?t need to be pushed?

[R U IN ED]

Many thanks for the information dc! One thing to remove from the list of worries at the moment

[jamesmcash]

Hi all,

dc thanks for answering the question about Peckham West.

As for Warwick Gardens, this is not in Goose Green but I have passed it onto the relevant councillor there. Thanks a lot for raising it.

Best wishes,

James

[first mate]

Coronavirus: Parking restrictions and controlled parking zones

Parking restrictions and controlled parking zones (CPZ?s) play an important role in keeping traffic moving and ensuring that deliveries (especially essential medical supplies) reach their destinations on time. This is of paramount importance to the emergency services and key workers, who are providing essential services during this difficult period.

I don?t really understand the thinking behind this statement in regard to the CPZ bit? Seems a little like opportunistic spinning. At a time when we are in lockdown and the majority are not driving how do the above help? Does this mean areas without CPZ will have traffic unable to flow and emergency services and key workers unable to do their jobs and essential medical supplies will not be delivered?

[Rockets]

The council appears to have lost leave of their senses... if, as it appears from the other thread, that there are roads that are going to be no parking on March 30th so the line painting can go ahead then someone ought to be fired. 1.5m of the most vulnerable people in the country are currently being contacted to tell them not to leave their homes and the council is continuing with insisting people move their cars.

Cllr McAsh, you and your fellow councillors need to step in and stop this right now - it's utter madness...

[first mate]

James McAsh, I have copied below from another thread on the general section. Surely this cannot be right? Can you please explain why Cllr Richard Livingstone feels it necessary to continue this work at the moment? I believe he is the person who decides?

CROZZA said:

looks like everyone in the effected area needs to move there cars on Monday. Utterly crazy. Not helping the isolation and must affect 100s of vehicles. Surely this can be stopped.

Great to see the parking police out in force too. Surely that?s not essential??

Attachments: BECED759-74EA-41D7-9784-31AC3CDAB823.jpeg (548.9KB)

[jamesmcash]

Hi all

The council's guidance on parking is here: https://www.southwark.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/public-health/for-the-public/coronavirus/coronavirus-parking-restrictions-and-controlled-parking-zones I have provided the link in case it is updated but as the moment it reads:

Coronavirus: Parking restrictions and controlled parking zones

Parking restrictions and controlled parking zones (CPZ?s) play an important role in keeping traffic moving and ensuring that deliveries (especially essential medical supplies) reach their destinations on time. This is of paramount importance to the emergency services and key workers, who are providing essential services during this difficult period.

What we are doing for Key Workers:

key workers are providing us with their vehicle registrations and their vehicles are being given a virtual parking permit that allows them to park in permitted parking bays across the borough

single yellow line parking for key workers (who have registered with the council) only is allowed

parking on double yellow lines, disabled bays and the footway is not allowed

What we are doing for our residents from 27 March 2020:

we are only enforcing the most serious contraventions and doing it by mobile officers only

no enforcement of the council run car parks in Peckham. There will also be no enforcement by the council in our recreational parks.

housing estates continue to be enforced as usual to ensure continued access for waste and emergency services

vehicles are not being removed but a small amount of relocations may take place if they are causing an obstruction.

Peckham West (PW) New parking zone in Peckham is due to start on 30 March 2020 will have an extended period of warning notices

Southwark Controlled Parking Zone (CPZs) permits are being recognised in neighbouring CPZs as valid and no enforcement is taking place

To respond to your questions:

first mate - no, it's not saying that if a street does not have a CPZ then traffic will be unable to flow; it's talking about potential risks if parking restrictions are removed from places where they are in effect. For instance, if there was no longer reserved places for parking and deliveries near critical places. This statement does not refer to East Dulwich CPZ or Peckham West CPZ, neither of which are in place.

Rockets - has anyone been told to move their car during the isolation period? If so then please let me know and I will look into it ASAP. The intention is that a warning period is in place for much longer for Peckham West, so no one is fined or needs to move their car, and enforcement is limited to only the most serious instances in any case.

I hope this helps with your questions. Have a good weekend and please stay safe everyone.

Best wishes

James

[Rockets]

James,

Check out the thread on the non-Corona part of the forum. No parking signs have gone up for March 30th so the council can paint the lines of the road.

[first mate]

James, on another thread it is stated that Southwark Parking have confirmed that the new CPZ will go live on Monday and that parking wardens will be out to enforce? Is this true?

What was Cllr Livinstone?s response to your suggestion, on behalf of residents, that for now the new CPZ and consultation should be suspended?

[monica]

Hi we received the email below yesterday from Councillor Livingstone

Dear Ms xxxxxx

Further to my previous email, I am writing to update you regarding the East Dulwich controlled parking zone..

In light of the current COVID-19 government advice, we have temporarily suspended the introduction of the East Dulwich CPZ until the current working restrictions are lessened. As I am sure you can appreciate, it is not possible to provide accurate timescales on when works will recommence but we will look to update all interested parties through the relevant page on the council website as soon as possible, which can be found at the following weblink:

https://www.southwark.gov.uk/parking/parking-projects/east-dulwich-parking-study-and-healthier-streets-consultation

Best wishes

Councillor Richard Livingstone

Labour councillor for Old Kent Road ward

Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and the Climate Emergency

[first mate]

Thanks Monica. Perhaps Southwark Parking have yet to take this advice on board?

[monica]

Hopefully thats the case first mate.

We should start a petition online regarding this issue with the CPZ.

Anyone interested in starting a petition or contacting the local media?