former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[James Barber]

GOOD NEWS - Planning permission for this has been granted (8 June)and hopefully it wont be long before the works are undertaken - funded by ?1bn Post office investment fund set-up by the coalition government.

James Barber Wrote:

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

> Post Office have appleid to have a mega revamp of

> the Post Office at 76 Lordship Lane. I've attached

> the proposed new look and plans.

> You can see the full planning application here -

> http://planbuild.southwark.gov.uk/documents/?caser

> eference=15/AP/1432&system=DC

>

> What do you think?

>

> Idea is to make it friendlier, some self-service,

> more open counters and one secure counter.

[@Woodwarde]

James

are you aware of the starting date for the proposed work at the Townley Road/ ED Grove junction? I understood that it had to commence in July. Worth mentioning dates at the DCC meeting on Weds, if they are known.

Thanks

[kiera]

According to the notices in Southwark News,that end of Townley Rd is due to be closed from 4th July to 1st September. Also the bottom of Northcross Rd 6th - 24th July.

[@Woodwarde]

Kiera - thank you. Does the article reference a planning authorisation?

[James Barber]

Hi @Woodwarde,

Yes.

The junction will be closed 4 July -> 1 September.

The dates were also advertised in last weeks Southwark News.

[kiera]

@Woodwarde - No, it is simply a notice of road closures and alternative routes - in this case, Townley Rd, Lordship Lane and East Dulwich Grove in one direction and East Dulwich Grove, Dulwich Village and Calton Avenue in the other direction.

[James Barber]

Hi @Woodwarde,

The authorisation was in the recommendation of the Dulwich Community Council - don't recall if the decision was delegated to DCC or cabinet councillor decision.

Did you have something in mind?

Hi kiera,

Thanks. I started a reply to @Woodwarde and was distracted before completing it.

[Glemham]

So when we're those of us who live near to this busy junction, and are going to be affected by its closure, going to be told about the work starting next week if we never see Southwark News?! Doesn't the Council's budget of ?220,000 run to leafleting the residential roads involved?

[James Barber]

Hi Glemham,

Southwark contractors usually deliver such letters. They don't deliver them over a fortnight out as people forget. They usually do it at around the 1 week out mark.

If you haven't had anything by Saturday please email me direct so I can chase. thanks.

[Tessmo]

James, with regard to the Townley Road junction changes, what's happening to the 'formal statutory consultation'? The next stage after the informal public consultation. Not just notice of road closures. All this stuff:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/2489/regulation/6/made

[savage]

Hi James,

I have started a thread in the family room about Harris boys ED using the Rye. Any chance you could pop over and explain the history behind them not being able to use it? I'm really interested to know if there is some way to change this?

Thanks

Kate

[Tessmo]

Tessmo Wrote:

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

> James, with regard to the Townley Road junction

> changes, what's happening to the 'formal statutory

> consultation'? The next stage after the informal

> public consultation. Not just notice of road

> closures. All this stuff:

> http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/2489/regul

> ation/6/made

I'm reading elsewhere on the forum that work on Townley Road has started without any formal statutory consultation. Is this legal?

[James Barber]

Hi tessmo,

I've asked officers this very question and await a response.

[civilservant]

hi, James, we are hoping to have our street party on Crystal Palace Road on 5 July but have had no luck so far in getting the ok from the events/street closure team.

as you know, the Goose is Out provide the music every year, and they have booked all the musicians for the date; we applied for community council funds and were awarded them, so it's a pity that no one in the events team picks up the phone to us!

Is there anything that you can do to help?

thanks!

ETA - it seems that the mere threat of James Barber is enough to spur the Council into motion - we have just received our OK!

[James Barber]

Good. Sorry you've had such bother from Southwark council. Fingers crossed it's beautiful summers day.

[DadOf4]

James

why is the process for ordering more food waste bags from the council so poor. I have to hunt around on the website and end up filling in a generic enquiry form.

My guess is that southwark hope to "transition" people into buying their own bags. If so, they should be clear about that. In the meantime, whislt they still maintain that they provide them, can this process not be refined as it wastes a lot of everybodys time im sure

[James Barber]

hi DadOf4,

Southwark Labour have decided to save money by no longer providing them. I guess once stocks end you'll no longer be able to order them.

My take on this is that Southwark voters aren't as bothered about recycling rates anymore so the current administration is letting it go down - and this is one measure towards that.

In 2010 they stood on a platform of doubling recycling - they made this promise when the forecast was 24.65% recycling for that year. When they took control it was at 22.16%. We had promised as per the Veolia contract 38% and THEN food waste collection was due to be started.

Having messed around with the contract they've yet to reach 38% let along doubling to either 44.32% or 49.3%.

They claimed last year they'd double it to 40% - god knows where that came from - it might have been one quarter where leaf fall was included rather than whole year.

[rch]

James, can you find out what's going to happen to the exposed Yedoensis cherry tree in the new bike lane on Green Dale, by the new Townley junction??

Highway engineers said that no trees would be murdered in the creation of the new junction scheme, but the cherry tree I was worried about is now isolated with its roots exposed in the preparation work.

If it really needs to go, I would rather that it was transplanted than cut down, but now is not a great time to transplant trees. I pointed this out to them during the consultation and they promised it would be okay, but now I'm worried...

[James Barber]

Hi Robin,

Why don't you email Matt Hill direct?

[rch]

I could try, but they tend not to respond directly to me because I'm not a cllr anymore. I suppose I could copy Matt together with Gary Meadowcroft in the tree dept and see if I get a response before the tree dies...

[mockingbird]

Save a tree and ask another friendly Cllr. Officers have to respond to a Cllr while they can ignore us.

[James Barber]

/Hi Robin,

I;ve contacted officers after visiting the tree today. I can;t imagine how this tree will survive so exposed with the current weather and the coming weeks forecast heatwave.

Thanks for highlighting this to me. Sorry about my original unhelpful response.

[James Barber]

Apologies for losing the original context. I was asked if the steam Fair is allowed to put it's posters around Southwark on Southwark Council railings, properties etc.

The officials answer in a letter of all things arrived today and the answer is no. Where council officials see these they're meant to remove them.

[James Barber]

Apologies ITATM - being lazy and found first item in search about double yellow lines.

We had confirmation at the Dulwich Community Council on Wednesday that for non principal roads the requirement for metres of double yellow lines with new dropped kerbs has been dropped - excuse the pun.

I'm really chuffed that leading the dissent about this has caused a shift of policy.

I still think even for principal roads a more nuanced approach is required - but we've achieved 80% of what is needed on this policy.

Result.

Apologies to the half dozen households whose dropped kerbs were delayed while we got this resolved.

intexasatthe moment Wrote:

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> James - back to my concern over double yellow

> lines 2 metres either side of dropped kerbs ,can

> you help mw with the following

>

> How did this policy come into being with no one

> seemingly aware of it ? My reading is that there

> should be consultation which at a very early stage

> involves Community Councils . Did this happen ?

>

> Given that DCC have already tried to have

> applications with this rule modified approved and

> failed ,what are the chances of it being reviewed

> ? And the time scale ? And how can we influence

> this process ?

>

> Thanks

[DominickHide]

Am torn - yes save and protect trees always. No, you use your ex cllr , for two diferent political parties, status enough with scared weak willed council employees so stop abusing your non rights.

rch Wrote:

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

> I could try, but they tend not to respond directly

> to me because I'm not a cllr anymore. I suppose I

> could copy Matt together with Gary Meadowcroft in

> the tree dept and see if I get a response before

> the tree dies...