former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[Penguin68]

James - with the recent (today) tragedy of the fallen street lamp in Chiswick - although this may have been weakened by adjacent works - with what frequency are street lights checked for stability in ED? Are these checks visual, or is strength gauge machinery used? With all the paving and road refurbishment work going on, what checks are carried out on lights adjacent to these works to ensure continued stability?

[Gavin Edwards]

James,

You?re last post about free school meals for primary school children is riddled with factual errors.

1. You?re maths are wrong on the overall cost of introducing free primary school meals. There are roughly 20,000 children in primary school, but about 7,000 of those already receive free school meals. This means that the amount per meal (using your back of the envelope methodology) is more like 96p. The average amount spent on ingredients for school meals in 2007, on the other hand, was 57p.

2. You?re also wrong to say Labour?s proposals are funded by one-off resources. The ?4m contingency that is being proposed by your own executive (and opposed by Labour councillors) is a year-on-year revenue commitment, not a one-off. I am genuinely surpised that you did not know this.

3. You?re also wrong about the regeneration projects fund. This is already provided by a separate regeneration reserve budget, which the council has been increasing over the last few years, by way of one-off funding it receives, such as the unexpected windfall of ?6.7m that Southwark received last year. (from the Local Authority Business Growth Incentives)

4. The cost of the free primary school meals in Labour?s budget is met by the savings that Labour is proposing for the restructuring consultancy and agency costs ? Southwark has spent over ?2 million more on consultants this year than it did last year.

5. You?re also wrong about Canada Water. The capital costs for the library have already been agreed and are met through the council?s capital budget, not its revenue budget. The expenditure in the capital budget, reconfirmed by your executive a couple of weeks ago, has already agreed this cost. Consequently, there is no threat to the building work if the additional revenue isn?t agreed at the council?s budget setting meeting tonight.

A decision not to meet the additional running costs (on top of the ?0.5m agreed last year) for a library that won?t open this year would have no impact on the library?s construction UNLESS there is a further increase in the cost of the development. If you know of such an increase, perhaps you could tell us about it?

I suspect that most people will be more supportive of a proposal for free school meals for primary school children than you and your Lib Dem colleagues. If anyone's interested in signing the petition in support of this policy, you can find the details here

Gavin Edwards

Peckham Rye Labour

[Loz]

So, Gavin, putting yours and Vikki's figures together, we get:

Current number of free school meals: 7000

Number of free school meals proposed: 20000

Number of "too embarrassed" to take up school meals children: 1800.

cost per meal: 94p

So you are proposing to feed for free - needlessly - 11,200 children just because 1800 aren't taking them up, with no guarantee this will get them to take them up anyway (having seen the "burgers through the fence" scene on Jamie's School Dinners).

This at a back-of-a-fagpacket cost of 94p x 11200 x 195 days = $2.05 million in utterly needless spending. Bravo. Didn't anyone tell you there was a recession on and we're supposed to be reigning in spending, not wasting it profligately?

So, stick your petition. Is there a petition to protest against stupid ideas to waste money just to buy votes?

(And before you ask - I have no affiliation nor membership to any political party.)

[VikkiM]

Gavin has beaten me to this?

But just in response to Loz there is always a balance to deciding which benefits should be means-tested, to ensure benefits are targeted at those most in need, and universal benefits which, in this case, would help ensure that 1,800 children who don't claim the free school meals they are entitled to, start doing so. The policy would also ensure that those just above the threshold of entitlement, but probably still on very modest incomes, receive a really worthwhile benefit. I also think the majority of families in East Dulwich would welcome the weekly savings.

It?s also worth pointing out that the likes of Posh and Becks are unlikely to be using Southwark's state primaries. Just like many other universal benefits, many of the richest in our society will simply not make a call on this entitlement.

Finally on wasting money - it's worth taking a look at the full amendment proposed by Labour and Gavin?s post above. The free school meals policy would be funded by reducing the ever-increasing amount of money the council spends on consultants. Labour are also a proposing some cuts to councillors? special allowances and the communications budget is reduced (probably not popular with the Southwark Lite readers out there, if there are any?) All this means we are also able to propose a council tax cut - something many people will welcome.

However, if spending millions on consultants, Southwark lite, and ?600k to 'run' a library that hasn't opened yet coupled with no cut in council tax 'buy' your vote Loz I'm at a bit of a loss!

Whilst I realise that the full details of proposals like these are far from interesting they are worth looking at for those with the time to avoid sweeping generalisations that this is just wasteful spending.

Victoria

Peckham Rye Labour

[steveo]

Thank you James, we are making some progress. However:

a) I suspect the true costs have been massaged downwards (what's the opposite of massaged?). If you don't credit my estimates please look at ryedalema's figures above.

b) I'll make efforts to get hold of a Hammersmith & Fulham magazine but in my experience of ad sales miraculously they are doing better than commercial publications to get costs down to the extent you or they suggest.

c) true costs apart, the mag is propaganda with a bit of public information tacked on and therefore shouldn't be financed by us

d) I find it inexplicable that the council isn't addressing making obvious savings as fervently as users of this forum

[willow]

For all the belly aching on here it's a wonder that people would want to stand as councillor at all. What a thankless task it seems to be as people never seem satisfied with the answers provided!

[Loz]

Tell you what Vikki, why don't you put both ideas together?

That'll be ?6.29 million saved by not introducing your new profligate spending ideas, which mostly looks like council cuts that you are trying to reverse, plus the stupid, expensive "free food for all kids" idea.

Plus ?4.05 million in the savings you've identified in consultants, Southwark Life and needless library costs.

(I've not included the ?4 million contingency fund idea, as that - at first glance - seems sensible... well, until I find out what it's truly for, then I might change my mind.)

That gives over ?10 million pounds in savings! Knocking (extrapolating from your figure) over 10% off the council tax! Perfect. Sensible. And therefore not going to happen.

Propose that and you'll probably get my vote. Just stop wasting money.

[steveo]

willow Wrote:

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

> For all the belly aching on here it's a wonder

> that people would want to stand as councillor at

> all. What a thankless task it seems to be as

> people never seem satisfied with the answers

> provided!

You aren't Mrs Barber are you?

Joking apart, these are extremely pertinent questions and since James has put himself in the frame I don't see any problem. To put it in perspective the ?25,000 a month (or more) that Southwark Life costs equates to 8 beds in a care home (my particular hobby horse).

God knows what services could be saved if Loz's rationalisations were implemented

[willow]

Ha ha! No - neither am I a member of any political council. But I do think sometimes that we should remember that councillors are supposed to fit in full time jobs, family etc in addition to the time take up with a mainly voluntary post.

[James Barber]

Hi Penguin68,

All Southwark's lampposts have been structurally assessed and given a status of red, green or amber. In 2002 a large number were not structurally sound and labelled red and these were targetted for replacement first. From recollection they were concrete lamposts and bits had been falling from them. These have all been replaced. I hope that reassures you.

I believe we have 9 amber lamp posts in East Dulwich that's out of 870 lamp posts. I'll ask officers the latest status of those 35 and report back.

As for patrolling. Southwark lighting officers patrol all streets at regular intervals - from memory fortnight all streets and more frequently for busier roads. when a light fails its very quick to repair if unrelated to the electricity supply to the lamp post - all the repairs are in Southwark's control. Where its the electricity to the lamp post and EDF energy are the repair agent it can turn into a real saga. We have two such long term repairs - one outside the Bishop pub and one on Goodric Road.

Edited after double checking my sources for the number of Lampposts.

[James Barber]

Tonight was budget setting assembly. We agree to freeze council tax for the next financial year. That's the third Southwark council tax freeze in five years and the other two were below inflation.

It was made clear by the exec member for resources that Southwark has the second smallest reserves proportionally of any London council and that the finance director had advised they must be increased and the recommended amount was ?4m. Adding or withdrawing funds from reserves is not an everlasting commitment. Its decided each year based on financial advice.

The increase in consultants fees are related to the tragic Baby P and all the extra costs associated with more children in care and also the Lakanal fire. All councils are suddenly realising that the training the London Fire Brigade provided housing officers really wasn't suitable for tower blocks. It was also made clear that just over a third of agency and consultancy costs are for street cleaners. Southwark employs more when the trees shed leaves, etc. Doing this is part of how Southwark became the third cleanest borough in London.

Canada Water Library. For several years the revenue funding required to operate this library have been in the budget BUT Capitalised towards it building costs every year. This it to ensure we have revenue for when its finished. Your shadow resources spokesperson has been told this numerous times but it does make a good sound bite to claim running costs being incurred for an unbuilt library.

I look forward to getting back to helping residents that need help.

[????]

So great, a thread set up to for a means of contact to a local councillor is now turning into 'my dad is bigger than yours' crap......why don't the Labour lot stick to their own thread and leave this as it was set up to be. Fairly contemptible to start playing party politics on this -to the electorate as well as Mr Barber.

It reminds me of why so many of us distrust and dislike politicians.

[Penguin68]

All Southwark's lampposts have been structurally assessed ... James thank you for your quick and reassuring response. I assume those areas where street renovation is being undertaken are part of this regular assessment regime.

[Huguenot]

Is it just me, or does Barber come across as an insightful hardworking rational councillor, and these Labour guys come across as priggish deceitful prep-school blow-ins?

For me the straw was the point about agencies and consultants - it's far wiser to have street cleaners only working when the streets need cleaning.

But the Labour team's casuistry would have us believe it's a load of suits snorting coke.

Shame on you.

And seconded Quids point about point scoring - this thread is about local issues that need solutions, not about running up to the window and throwing a poo at it.

[James Barber]

Dog Poo.

The officer in charge of street cleaning has again reassured me that Southwarks street cleaning operation has not had any management or supervisory changes. BUT he suggested it might be possible that the supervisors need to remind all the cleaners to clean up dog poo. As he rightly points out probably about the worst part of the job is cleaning up dog poos. All street cleaners will be reminded this is a key part of their role this week. We'll then see if the streets suddenly get cleaner that this has been the recent problem.

[Administrator]

Please keep this thread and discussion about East Dulwich and things that directly affect East Dulwich. I would like it to remain useful and about ED issues, not just a place for people to have a rant about political parties.

[James Barber]

Hi Jeremy,

Some time ago, when I started this thread, you asked about countdown displays at bus stops.

I've been told by RTansport for London they are revewing all Countdown displays. In essence they're going to remove most of the ones we have and install new ones under differnt criteria. The new criteria appears to be if a bus stop is heavily used it may get a disply. If an infrequent bus stop it wont.

That sounded reasonable until I was standing at an infruently used bus stop. The timetable said bus would come every 11-12 minutes. No one else was standing at bus stop so I thought as only 15minutes walk I'd walk. Needless to say a bus passed me 2 minutes later. Good for my health. Not good for encouraging bus use.

If anyone's interested I'll post the full details.

[James Barber]

Free school lunches.

I checked this morning if I'd understood the council leader Nick Stanton correctly.

He stated that he'd applied for Southwark to join a London pilot for free primary school lunches. The govt pilot would have paid the full ?5m cost. Now that would have been free to Southwark. Apparently we didn't meet the criteria.

So decided not to persue from council budgets due to cost and social inequity of it.

hopefully this is the last I heard about free school lunches on EDF!

[sophiesofa]

JBARBER Wrote:

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

> Hi Jeremy,

> Some time ago, when I started this thread, you

> asked about countdown displays at bus stops.

> I've been told by RTansport for London they are

> revewing all Countdown displays. In essence

> they're going to remove most of the ones we have

> and install new ones under differnt criteria. The

> new criteria appears to be if a bus stop is

> heavily used it may get a disply. If an infrequent

> bus stop it wont.

> That sounded reasonable until I was standing at an

> infruently used bus stop. The timetable said bus

> would come every 11-12 minutes. No one else was

> standing at bus stop so I thought as only

> 15minutes walk I'd walk. Needless to say a bus

> passed me 2 minutes later. Good for my health. Not

> good for encouraging bus use.

>

> If anyone's interested I'll post the full details.

I would use the bus far more if all bus stops had the LCD displays. For example if I knew my direct bus was going to be 10+ mins I could get on a different one and change. I would be interested in the full details because I can't see a reason why they think it's not worth having them at as many bus stops as possible to encourage bus use. Thanks

[skidmarks]

They are going down the text message and internet route, which is better value for money than installing expensive LCD countdown displays at lots of bus stops and putting fares up to pay for it.

All explained here.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/11560.aspx

[Laurie Eggleston]

@sophiesofa

Beginning of next year TfL plan to launch a new system, where you can text TfL with your nearest bus stop's code and get the live countdown information sent to your phone (for about a 20p charge). Can't come soon enough. This eliminates long waits at bus stops, and makes it much safer - no more waiting alone late at night for that elusive night bus. They have a system like it in Sheffield, and from experience I can say it is a godsend on a cold rainy morning! They got this years ago in Sheffield so it's about time we got it in London (although logistically it must be an immense challenge to get working!)

[sophiesofa]

Thanks skidmarks and Laurie. I don't like the sound of the new plans but then I'm not a traffic planner so I will just trust that they've made a sensible decision and I certainly don't want to pay anything more than ?1.20 to get on a bus so if it's cheaper then I guess it makes sense.

[Smiler]

I agree with Loz that free school meals for all would not be a good use of public money.

A much bigger issue for me is the variable quality of local primary schools and the admissions criteria.

[Jeremy]

skidmarks Wrote:

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

> They are going down the text message and internet

> route, which is better value for money than

> installing expensive LCD countdown displays at

> lots of bus stops and putting fares up to pay for

> it.

It's not ideal, but I guess it's realistic. I'm sure it would cost a fortune to roll them out across all bus stops, and to repair them every time they get smashed up.

[James Barber]

I'm not sure replacing countdown displays at East Dulwich bus stops with SMS texts messages has been thought through. What's the one thing Police tell you not to do - flash your mobiles around. What's the one thing TfL are now telling us to do at bus stops - flash your mobiles around. Also, paying 20p to find out what the buses are doing because you cant rely on the timetables isn't custoemr focused.

My day job is in Telecomms and IT. London has 19,000 bus stops. To connect then up via digitial radios or broadband would be a drop in the ocean compared to the current bus subsidies. To remotely control street lights costs ?40 per street light and ?5,000 for the controller. Add a desplay costing ?200 ea including installation and you're looking at ?5m including project management costs.

As I said I'll find the details I've been sent and add them onto this thread.