former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[bob]

Dear James.

Re the concrete House

Just read the post about the meeting on the 3rd Feb was all kept a bit low key any info you can give.

Bob S

[trinity]

JBARBER Wrote:

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

> Hi Trinity,

> I've tried getting a collection point set-up in

> East Dulwich to no avail so far. Apprently under

> the WEEE rules the supplier has to be willing to

> take it back and dispose of it. So I could'nt get

> Southwark Council to support Karavan who were

> willing to act as a conduit.

> This will sound crazy but officially you need to

> take it along to Manor Place or the Lambeth waste

> centre around Rosendale Road.

> I'll make further queries. as this is silly.

Thanks for this James - the Karavan route you suggested sounds an excellent idea as its a central location and presumably good for them to encourage people through their door.

I can't believe that many bulbs are taken to Manor Place which means that they are going into peoples ordinary rubbish bin. That is a concern

I may try to stay with my old fashioned light bulbs as this low energy one lasted for a year - about the same length of time as the old ones.

[Jaws]

Hi there Mr. Councillor, I have emailed you twice - both with read receipts and still have had no response... (td)

[steveo]

Read all about it

[James Barber]

Hi trinity.

I've relatively good news on the where to dispose of my energy efficient light bulbs.

Sainsburys on Dog Kennel Hill has just introduced a box for collecting such light bulbs.

It would be presumptous to say my repeated questioning of council officers led to this but it certainly didn't do any harm.

[James Barber]

Hi steveo,

I'm assured the letters in Southwark Life are not fake or faked. With close to 1/3rd million residents in 105,000 homes each getting a Southwark Life magazine each month easy to see that it would generate letters.

Why don't you send/email one in.

I'll try and find out exactly how much it costs per annum and your other queries. BUT honestly its not a high priority compared to other more pressing casework.

[Pickle]

Hi James,

I've noticed a few footpaths in the area have been repaved recently (Crystal Palace Rd, Dunstans Rd and Court Lane, to name a few), and it's fantastic. I was wondering whether there's somewhere I can look to find out what other roads in the area are due to have the same done?

Many thanks

[James Barber]

Hi Pickle,

Two avenues for spending money of Southwark council controlled roads and pavements.

The Executive Member decides each year based on details condition reports. The executive councillors has also devolved around half his budget to local community councils. In East Dulwich this means Cllr Jonathan Mitchell, Richard Tohmas and I decide how roughly ?25,000 is spent on street lighting and ?33,000 on road maintenace. Our next batch of decision would normally be made at the start of the financial year but that lands udirng purdah. So straight after the local elections. Around June/July time.

[James Barber]

Car Clubs.

Southwark Council is about to agree a preferred Car Club organisation who will be allocated 85 on street Car Club car parking spaces. That's roughly 4 per ward.

As each Car Club car is shared by members they generally result in 8-15 private cars per car club car being taken of off local streets. Makes loads of sense as most cars stay parked and unused 95%+ of the time.

To accelerate this scheme Each Dulwich ward councillors Jonathan Mitchell, Richard Thomas and I awarded sufficient funds to create an extra 10-20 car club parking spaces. This means that most East Dulwich residents will be within 200m of a car club space.

Attached is plan of where the spaces are proposed to be placed. Green dots represent the general car club spaces proposed and the red dots the extra East Dulwich ward car club spaces.

[sophiesofa]

Ooh brilliant, which car club is it? I've been trying to decide which one to join because I want to pick the one with the most local cars!

[Jeremy]

Great idea James.

Do you know where I can see a map covering the streets immediately to the north of this?

[Ant]

Is there anything that council's able to do about the dog mess on Goodrich Road, particularly between Barry Road and Dunstan's? It seems there's always lots, but recently it's increased to ridiculous amounts.

[Timster]

And between Barry Road and Friern Road this morning. There is one individual who is usually held up as being responsible but refuses to co-operate. He's been the subject of posts on here before.

[steveo]

JBARBER Wrote:

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

With close to 1/3rd million

> residents in 105,000 homes each getting a

> Southwark Life magazine ...I'll try and find out exactly how much it costs

> per annum and your other queries. BUT honestly its

> not a high priority compared to other more

> pressing casework.

I'm sorry to bang on... well I'm not actually. Yet again, I would hesitate a guess that you don't know how much the mag costs. I suggest it is north of 50p a copy delivered. That's around ?50,000 a month. I'd say that is 'pressing casework'. This is at a time when paid for print media is struggling like never before made worse by the lack of local government advertising and the competition Southwark Life might constitute.

[intexasatthe moment]

re cost of Southwark Life -

as far as I can tell ( perhaps the situation has changed since 2007/8 ) Southwark seem to spend much more than other local authorities ( of the 20 highest spending LA 's in the country Southwark appear at nos 8 ,ahead of all other London boroughs http://www.taxpayersalliance.com/files/csu2-publicity.pdf )

I think this issue is actually quite important and deserving of James's attention.

[Amelie]

Dear James

and everyone on this thread, have you seen Southwark's dishonourable mention on the Rotten Boroughs page in this week's Private Eye? Oh dear oh dear.

[James Barber]

Hi Jeremy,

Some time ago you asked about when you'd be able to recycle locally eco light bulbs/CfL's.

After many enquiries collecting via blue boxes not suitable as they the bulbs would get broken. Libraries the special boxes to receive them would take up to much room. A really helpful offer from Lordship Lane eco shop Karavan but due to WEEE legislation this couldn't be accepted.

Finally, Sainsburys on Dog Kennel Hill has agree to start collecting them.

I'm hopeful we'll find a way to create a collection point in East Dulwich but Sainsburys isn't so far away.

[James Barber]

Car clubs.

Hi sophiesofa,

The decision on which car club is to be made in the next 4 weeks.

Hi jeremy,

If you email me at [email protected] I'll try and get a copy to email you.

[James Barber]

Hi Amelie,

Private Eyes Rotten Borough section on the web shows amonst others:

SOUTHWARK:

Now they?ve spent ?165m on new offices, council officers ask: isn?t it about time we got massive bonuses?

Makes a great headline when the facts taken so much out of context. We rent the new back offices at 160 Tooley Street. So we have'nt paid ?165m. If you add enough years rent up, from memory we pay ?5m pa, it does eventually come to ?165m. So far we've made savings of ?35m - by closing over 30 smaller offices dotted around Southwark - no more receptionists rotas and security rotas for over 30 buldings just one, etc. Many contractors let go that were temporarily employed until centralised into Tooley Street and functions shared.

But I don't think Private Eye would sell much by with headlines of "shock savings made by council".

As for bonuses, so very senior managers have performance management pay, and some have delivered larger back office savings than expected. Again I don't think Private Eye would ever run "senior council managers even better than expected".

[PeckhamRose]

But why is it always the managers having the performance bonus?

Why can't social workers teachers or street cleaners?

Or why do managers need performance bonuses at all? They're getting a bigger salary than the aforementioned aren't they?

[Amelie]

James

PeckhamRose is right, and moreover if Private Eye is misrepresenting Southwark's expenditure of public money then you and the other councillors and the CEO have a duty to make Private Eye correct what it wrote. Can I take it there will be a letter from Southwark printed in the next edition?

I do see the point of incentivisation but I also believe people should not receive bonuses (or figure in the Honours Lists) for doing the job for which they are employed and paid. Bonuses should only apply for work done 'above and beyond' not for routine work. You must also be aware that management receiving bonuses when in fact the efficiencies and improvements have been made by the poor bloody infantry causes huge resentment and is bad for morale.

[James Barber]

Hi steveo,

Southwark Life doesn't cost ?50,000 to distribute.

I was curious how much the Conservative and Green Party who tend to pay for political leaflet distribution in our area - insufficient volunteers or bags of money.

The quote for East Dulwich ward, which is one of 21 political wards in Southwark, was ?300->?350. times that by 21 allow for 20% at least as a volume discount and it would cost less than ?5,000 per month.

As for the print costs and editorial content preperation. As I said I've asked for this info from officers and when I receive it I'll share with you.

[Tilly_UK]

Hi James, Can you help support the campaign to extend the number 63 bus route up to Honor Park Station. Having the Bus stop less then 1/5 of a mile away from the station seems so daft. An extension would mean less cars travelling up to the station, parking near the station would reduce and be so much more convienent for cimmuters when the East London line is running. Not sure why TFL are so set against it? Many Thanks

[James Barber]

Hi Tilly_UK,

I joined the 63 bus route extension Facebook group some time ago and have offered the team my support.

TfL are a mystery to me. Effectively their argument appears to be the East London Line will be great and popular on one hand and other hand it wont be very popular so no need for local buses to connect with it.

[James Barber]

Hi Amelie and Peckham Rose,

I believe many publc servants receive salary(pensions) increments as a reward for great performance. So a form of bonus.

Many roles not on scales - especially those outsourced - and indeed I personally believe in one system being fairer.

As for writing letters to Private Eye. Not many people read it. Would they print it. Limited time and they're not a priority.