former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[fazer71]

Hi James

Yes I agree whole life cycle is very relevant.

With current electric cars it's the battery which is potentially a problem the rest of the car is no different to regular cars.

So its a matter of swapping out the old battery in ten to 15 years with a replacement.

In city centres the reduction in carbon monoxide output is well worth the difference.

[TheArtfulDogger]

The one thing that worries me about electric cars is simply this

How is e electricity generated to power them?

If the answer is fossil fuels or nuclear then does the generation process produce the same amount of harmful emissions as a standard car does to drive the same distance ?

If renewable energy then I suspect that someone somewhere will be complaining about the blight on their view...

[edhistory]

I think this question has been asked before but got swamped and no answer came.

This is a good time to ask again.

Who employs Chris Mascord and who pages his wages?

John K

[James Barber]

Hi TheArtfulDogger,

Electricity generation via fossil fuels has very low taxation compared to fossil fuels at the pump. So it can give the impression of electric car being cheaper per mile.

Obviously if electricity generated via wind, wave, sun then fine. Plenty of eco electricity on the market so electric cars should be fine when you know how your electricity is produced.

Hi edhistory,

Directly or indirectly Southwark Council. I have a recollection when this was asked before that we found he was provided by a contractors as part of a large contract. Very typical practice. Better value for the buyer. Makes the contract a bit stickier from the suppliers perspective and should ensure closer working so less gaps - and councils are notorious for leaving gaps in processes.

[edhistory]

It matters if the road improvement projects are entirely run by externals.

Who is the Southwark Council directly employed intelligent customer?

Is it Mr Clement Agyei-Frempong?

John K

[rch]

FYI, I think Chris disappeared in the latest "reorganisation". He originally worked for Mouchel, but I think he stayed self-employed over the various council reconfigurations.

Depending on budgetary constraints, outsourcing was considered to be a cost-effective way of keeping excellent staff on board but not having to pay pension contributions, etc.

I see where you're going with this, John, but bear in mind that all engineers take instructions from the incumbent administration.

[Scootingover]

Linkedin summary:

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/chris-mascord/36/a39/b3

[first mate]

James,

On the M&S thread Mark T writes that the application for the penthouses has gone to appeal because the Council timed out in a reply. Allegedly a liad of appeal letters were sent round but at least two of us have not received them. The deadline to respond is 14th October. It would be extraordinary if yet again the Council had been caught out on a technicality as happened last time.

Could you please find out what has gone on? I thought you said this was being called in and decided by a planning committee, what has gone wrong?

[XIX]

We've not received a letter either. So that's three......

[James Barber]

Hi first mate, XIX,

If you've objected then your objections should be transferred to the inspector as part of the appeal paperwork.

[intexasatthe moment]

James ,as this appeal is based on a technicality ( Southwark not deciding within time limit ) forwarding orginal comments or making new ones is not so relevant for objecting neighbours .

But - in case there are people reading in other appeal cases - they shouldn't rely on their original objections being forwarded but make fresh objections against the applicant's reasons for appeal .

[first mate]

Yes, but what happened to you calling it in? What happened to this being decided by planning Committee? Please don't let it be the case that Councillors and Planning have made yet another error of judgement that lets another undesirable application through on a technicality.

James Barber Wrote:

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

> Hi first mate, XIX,

> If you've objected then your objections should be

> transferred to the inspector as part of the appeal

> paperwork.

[James Barber]

Hi first mate,

We called this decision in. But if it doesn't go to committee in timely way then the applicant can appeal for non determination.

To be honest I'm amazed more applicants don't do this. They're burning money waiting for a decision. Problem seems to be lack of planning officers to handle the volume and complexity of cases.

The officer now on this case is very good from my experiences.

[first mate]

James,

So does this mean the application can get through on a technicality, or that planning is now forced to make a decision immediately?

When the application was called in was a date not set for the committee meeting at the time?

If you are amazed this does not happen more often (that is non-determination appeals), that would suggest late or out of time decisions happen a lot, in which case jeaopardy re this application could surely have been forseen by someone within the planning framework/hierarchy?

Are we going to get another our-hands-are-tied-by-process excuse?

[Cora]

Hi James,

Looking at secondary schools many of the nearer but not walking schools (kingsdale, St Thomas, Elmgreen, Deptford Green) are on the P13 route but I have heard that the journey can be busy (others say 'a nightmare') around school times.

My guess is that this route existed to pick up people on a winding route that otherwise would be missed but it seems it is now quite an artery for many schools (I am guessing there maybe some primaries too?)

Do you think there is anyway of getting more buses on this route, particularly around school times?

[James Barber]

Hi Cora,

I used to use the P13 every morning am rush hour and don't recall having any problems. It would have been even better with more frequent buses.

I' more than happy to ask about what plans are proposed if any for this route. request to TfL submitted. Will keep you posted of what I hear and then we can decide if we need to run a campaign or not. Many thanks for raising this.

Hi first mate,

In February at budget setting my lot proposed spending more money on having what we feel is sufficient planning officers to handle the workloads. Our alternative fully costs budget, that legally has to be verified and was by the finance director, was rejected by the administration.

This appeal for non determination is one outcome of this. Most of these are avoided by developers who want to have a longer-term relationship with Southwark council. Clearly this developer doesn't need that hence this appeal.

I have raised this case with the new case officers and will come back to everyone what we can do in these new circumstances.

[intexasatthe moment]

" Most of these are avoided by developers who want to have a longer-term relationship with Southwark council. " Is it just me or do these words sound a little sinister ?

Developers don't take Southwark to task for tardiness because although they could, they're afraid of damaging a long term relationship ? They'd be disadvantaged in future dealings with Southwark because they'd pulled Southwark up for failing to meet a legally set target ? Don't complain or you'll suffer .That can't be right surely ?

[Cora]

Thanks for looking into this - really appreciated.

[uncleglen]

Well, main post office in LL was closed today due to computers not working.....

[Abe_froeman]

In Texas, at first blush it does seem rather sinister. Luckily we know the council would never overlook non-compliance with the law for the sake of a relationship - see for instance those shiny new 20mph speed cameras we're paying for!

[James Barber]

Hi Abe-frieman,

What shiny new speed cameras?

All London is covered by a Safer Camera Partnership and local councils have little say is where they place cameras. So very curious about your comment?

[rjsmall]

James Barber Wrote:

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

> Hi Cora,

> I used to use the P13 every morning am rush hour

> and don't recall having any problems. It would

> have been even better with more frequent buses.

> I' more than happy to ask about what plans are

> proposed if any for this route. request to TfL

> submitted. Will keep you posted of what I hear and

> then we can decide if we need to run a campaign or

> not. Many thanks for raising this.

>

Hi James - I agree that the service is problem free in the mornings - I use it to do the school run and it works very well. However the evening service is a different matter. I get the bus at the stop by the South Circular / Croxted Road junction and although the bus only starts a mile or so up the road at Streatham they are very badly regulated - I quite often wait twenty minutes only to have two P13s appear within a minute or each other. I use the mobile countdown website and it is frustrating to load the page and see the due time as 17 and 18 minutes.

[James Barber]

Hi rjsmall,

Thanks for adding some more detail to this issue around P13. Thank you.

I've updated my query with TfL and hope we get a reply in the next week or two.

[RobMiller]

Hi James, are you able to do anything about the obstructions on the Crystal Place Road / North Cross Road junction? http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1586179

It's now gone well beyond being a major inconvenience, and is positively dangerous. The combination of poor visibility for pedestrians, major obstructions from building traffic, and impatient drivers trying to get through is really concerning. This really does need some urgent intervention.

Edited to add... since it's probably too late to do anything sensible re: managing the building traffic, maybe there should be a temporary road closure of the junction or a controlled crossing until the building works are done?

[James Barber]

Hi RobMiller,

I've reported this twice to relevant council officials and been told they're on the case.

I'll make a point of cycling home that way tonight to take a good look and in the mean time chase officers again.