former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[chazzle]

Well done on getting the new library in 18-22 Grove Vale. The property investor was delighted that it meant he didn't have to make any provision for social housing. (I hope that wasn't your idea!)

[James Barber]

Hi Amanda1979,

I've chased council officials about this. They have assured me this is being incorporated into the overall view Southwark Council is taking with the site owner.

If my Public Right of Way is pursued by the council then the site would have 280m2 of ground so materially important.

If you'd like copy of my email chain email me!

Hi chazzle,

I came up with the idea in 2005, objected to a prior scheme at appeal and then spoke with the developers. I don't recall at what point social housing was dropped. I do recall speaking to several Housing Authority directors who at main planning committee's were saying they would not take on low numbers of social housing - the costs were too high to manage. With respect to 18-22 Grove Vale - council officers stated in reports the library value outweighs the value of social housing and councillors of all parties voted for planning permission being granted.

I parallel I have proposed and the council is now exploring building new council housing on garages on Bassano Street and Henslowe Road.

[ianclark78]

Hi James, my query relates to the electric car charging points that have been installed by Source London in Southwark and also other London boroughs. These points are available to the public to use with a monthly subscription or annual "one-off" fee with an additional charge for electricity consumed.

However I have noticed that these public points are being increasingly used by a private electric car hire company, BlueCity, to park their vehicles before being rented out again, effectively rendering the point unable to use by others. The spot near the junction of East Dulwich grove and Lordship Lane is an example of one which is frequently inaccessible.

Not only is this irritating for an electric vehicle user who needs to use the points but moreover a public resource is being used by a private company for private gain. Please note that the parent company for both Source London and Bluecity are the same, the French Bollore group.

Could you find out how much the council's contribution is for each of the chargers installed in the borough and whether they knew of this effective subsidy to Bluecity made from the public purse?

[James Barber]

Hi lanclark78,

Apologies for the delay in coming back to you.

This is the response to a Lib Dem councillors enquiring on our behalf:

"I can now provide you with a full response to your enquiry:

The council do not monitor the use of on street electric vehicle charging bays. I understand that this is frustrating but, we can not dictate to who uses these charge points. However, it should be noted that the parking officers (CEOs or Civil Enforcement Officers) do monitor the electric charging bays for overstaying of the maximum permitted period through the day, there is no time limit at night. Parking officers are deployed to areas where there are higher levels of parking controls and there is a low level of parking control in East Dulwich and therefore there are lower levels of patrolling. Unfortunately this would query would need to be raised with Blue point London.

The council don?t make a contribution towards the on street electric charging points, Bluepoint London pay the council an annual permit fee to have a bay designated for their charging facilities.

"

[CPR Dave]

Hello James

Would you consider standing again in this year's elections? This thread is a great reminder of all the good work you did for our community.

[jazzer]

Please say, Yes, Yes, Yes.

[heartblock]

Mmmh I believe he is pro-LTNs, campaigned for them and lives in one..so nope...not getting my vote. I like him, but not voting for anyone who believes this policy isn't anything else but Green-washing and about entitlement for a certain sector of residents.

[CPR Dave]

I think it's too late to stop the LTNs. At least when James was councillor he would assess the merits of scheme fairly and gauge public opinion too.

Remember - he actually blocked the closure of Melbourne Grove South when he was councillor because he could see it was counter-productive, would cause more pollution than it would save and it was not in the interest of the community.

He did that in spite of seemingly being in favour of the scheme, and agreeing to commission a report at the request off the Melbourne Grove Traffic Action Group into the benefits of closing the road.

Those are the sort of difficult decisions that a good councillor has to get the balance right on and James Barber did because he was actually intelligent enough to look at all sides of the issues.

[heartblock]

I'll happily listen if he does stand - I'm always thinking about critically analysing anyone's policy :)

[ab29]

James B is actually the only councillor I've ever seen or talked to. I certainly cannot imagine him sporting 'F**k Tories' Xmas jumper or anything in such bade taste, like Clr McCash recently did.

Supporting LTN would be a problem though; I certainly don't think it's too late to remove it - why keep something that harms people and brings no benefits to the majority.

[Pugwash]

James Barber is a decent person and when he was a councillor always checked with what residents thought about a particular policy/proposal etc. Even if you disagreed with his views he would respect you. James had his 'ear to the ground' on many occasions and knew what many people had views on. Also when he heard my husband had broken his knee- called around the house offering to do some shopping for us. We were also on his telephone 'support list' during first lockdown (we are both 68 plus with health issues)

I hope James stands again in either Goose Green or Dulwich Hill wards.

[Sue]

The present councillors in my ward (Goose Green I think) seem to vary.

James McCash seems decent, helpful and proactive. I don't think an anti Tory jumper is in bad taste, personally. All Christmas jumpers are a bit of fun.

Of the other two, one is elected year after year and doesn't seem to do much and the other seems to keep a low profile.

I agree that James Barber was a very good councillor and I have always voted for him although I am not Lib Dem, but I presume most people were voting for their political preference and not looking at the merits of specific candidates.

Though it seems a bit weird to be talking about him on his own thread!

[Jenijenjen]

CPR Dave Wrote:

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

> Hello James

>

> Would you consider standing again in this year's

> elections? This thread is a great reminder of all

> the good work you did for our community.

Blimey, you're really inviting the fox into the henhouse. You know he was chair of Southwark Cyclists for many years?

[DuncanW]

Shhhh!! :) :)

[legalalien]

Well, you're never going to get a councillor who agrees with you on everything, so the best thing to hope for is one who has the ability to be objective about their own views and prejudices and recognises their obligations to fairly represent those who don't share their views, and gives airtime/ proper consideration to positions that they don't instinctively agree with. I don't know whether James is that person or not, but that's what I would hope for. That's the point CPR Dave makes above.

[Nigello]

I have two councillors. One nearly always responds to emails and follows up. The other does not even acknowledge them, so I now only go to one of them. Other councillors in the area who are not for my ward (but they do not know that when I email them as I do not put in my postcode) have never replied. They are either rude, stupid, high-handed or dead.

[Jenijenjen]

LA - remember CPZ consultation 2012?

This link should lead to just one comment regarding our erstwhile councillor?s behaviour https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,772215,page=47

Scrolling back through the thread will give further context

[legalalien]

I don't remember actually as I'm not in GG ward, plus as a non-driver I don't have an interest in parking there (and self confessedly, pre-COVID, paid little attention to local politics :)

The points being made about councillors sound very familiar...