former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[cate]

Mr. Barber

Have sent you an email to your work email address.

[annabel]

8 vans is too many - it puts a lot of strain on available parking spaces available for legitimate residents.

[intexasatthe moment]

Could you explain /give a bit more detail about how the bicycle pool ,school thing will work ?

[James Barber]

Hi sophiesofa,

I'm afraid I don't know when the Northcross Road thing will progress. I suspect after the elections as everyone gets jittery about purdah during election periods.

Hi alachlan,

Southwark Council has purchased thermal images of Southwark. Those thermal images have been cross referenced to OS data nd property boundary maps. Apparently the software makes this a cinch. The thermal images show red when no loft insulation. The software also adds up how many homes of a particular thermal range in a defined area. I'm sure some will be council properties. The sample I've seen shwoed blue for some council properties on Crystal Palace Road. The only blue (best insulation on the sample. Hopefully this answers your question.

[sophiesofa]

Thanks James. That thermal imaging map sounds good. I live in a basement flat of a four story building and am now off to google energy saving tips for basement flats. It will be interesting to find out what impact insulating a roof will have on a flat such as mine.

[alachlan]

Nice, thanks.

[James Barber]

Hi sophiesofa,

Clearly insulating a roof will have zero impact on reducing CO2 emissions for a basement flat.

I believe we still have half a dozen free electricity smartmeters which would help you. Get in touch if you'd like to avail yourself of one.

Hi cate, annabel,

I'll chase officers about Dulwich Van Hire. Clearly ridiculous situation.

Hi Gimme,

I emailed Tetrapak people yesterday to ask about their detailed eco life cycle calculations. Wandsworth do collect Tetrapaks. Tetrapak people are happy to receive bails of Tetrapaks which they then ship to Sweden to decompose into recycleable materials. It sound great collect an item for recycling. But if it then has to go long distances it isn't clear whether than environmentally makes sense. Hence my request for the details maths which curiously isn't left on their website.

[sophiesofa]

Hi James, I thought it might have a marginal impact :-$ - I wasn't making a sarky comment I was genuinely interested. I got a smart meter through the scheme last year (and randomly am involved in smart metering projects at work) and the man also gave me a chimney balloon which has made a surprising difference.

[James Barber]

Hi sophiesofa,

Chimney balloons are fab.

Watch this space as I suspect we'll do some local offers on those.

[James Barber]

Former Banhams Timber Yard, 103-105 Barry Road.

This site is looking a really sorry site. The developers have made repeated and broken promises that they will clear the site and then start construction on several unspiring homes.

I've just had confirmation that final letter has been sent to Dickens Development (UK) LLP to clear the site up. Failure to complete these works within 21 days will result in a Section 215 Notice will be issued legally requiring this work.

Hopefully the developers will see sense. Fighting and incurring costs and Southwark Councils costs will be many times more expensive than just doing the work.

[sweetgirl]

hi james, not sure if you'll be able to help me...... as a resident on whateley road i'm concerned about the parking situation. the people who run le garage always park their vehicles on whateley or bawdale road... amongst other roads in the vicinity. their cars cause a nuisance to us as we are unable to find parking for our own vehicles. this has been a topic on the forum many times before but nothing seems to have changed over the years. alot of these vehicles have no road tax, at times they are parked on the bus stop.... but the main problem is these vehicles are clogging up our roads!!

how can you help to deal with this situation? these guys have had many dealings with the police, wardens & even their customers have got into brawls with them... certainly not nice people to have any dealings with....

[James Barber]

Hi sweetgirl,

I've sent you PM about this.

I know this premise have had repeated enforcement issues.

Equally any untaxed vehicles on the public highway can be removed and destroyed. I'll ask the Police and council officers what plans for enforcing this in East dulwich are in place.

[Smiler]

Cllr Barber, please could you comment on a thread in the family room (link below) about the date for parents finding out about primary school admissions being delayed from April until after the election?

Thanks.

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,445495

[James Barber]

Hi Smiler,

Responded as requested.

I was initially very angry about the delay to Primary school place letters going out. I was angry as I having two young kids I know the wait for a school place is agonising. Also, that political capital will be made. However when the logistics of how impactful the elections are on council officer time I felt no real alternative. Practically many hundreds of officers will be out of action for a number of days receiving training, running polling station and then counting the votes.

Hope this makes sense. Please call me if you need anything else.

[James Barber]

Road traffic changes taking effect 12 April in East Dulwich ward:

Barry Road/Underhill Road - single yellow lines changing to double yellow lines to improve visibility to hopefully resolve the collission problems this junction has had.

Elsie Road close to junction with Grove Vale - loading bay so shops can be serviced.

North Cross Road on north side with it juncton with Lordship Lane. This junction also pronounced collisions hot spot and hopefull this will help.

Village ward changes:

Townley Road - changing single to double yellow lines outside Alleyns school.

Gilkes Crescent - some waiting restrictions at junction with Gilkes Place.

392 Lordship Lane disabled parking space.

College ward changes:

Alleyn Park - remove some signle and double yellow lines outside Dulich College Prep School.

Any queries please let me know.

[James Barber]

Really sad news that a huge blaze has wrecked Hatcham Temple Grove school in New Cross. It looks as though Lewisham Council no only have to find 543 reception school places more than they were expecting but also now 360 primary school places. What a disaster. Even more pressure on primary school places in South East London.

[????]

A cynic might say that could be a handy excuse.....

[James Barber]

I'm hopeful it wont have any impact on Southwark as New Cross is not near the border with Southwark.

Its a real shame this has happened. The kids involved will feel incredible lose of a familar school.

It will make Lewisham's problems much worse - talk before the fire of Lewisham having to place reception kids with 10 and 11 years whose classes have space.

It makes you think about what we'd do if we lost a school. Fortunately, we've been very gradually building up the financial reserves of the council to cope with dire emergencies such as this.

[peckhamboy]

Fortunately, we've been very gradually

> building up the financial reserves of the council

> to cope with dire emergencies such as this.

You mean overcharging council tax?

[ruffers]

I think he means building a sensible reserve.

[James Barber]

Hi Peckhamboy,

No.

(All organisations have a requirement to have prudential reserves. The Audit Commission criticise Southwark Council every year for not having enough. Very gradually reserves are being built up. Last year the sums allocated to do this were then largely spent due to changes in demands on Southwark due to the Baby P requirements amongst others. We also had a 1 in 30 year winter. Exactly the types of event reserves are for.)

[souc1a]

Hi,

Could something be done about the mopeds and scrambler bikes which are ridden on the path behind Burrow rd - I often walk along there with my daughter in her pram and this can be both dangerous and scary. We have phoned the police a couple of times but they 'scramble' away when they see them. Perhaps some CCTV could help.

Thanks

[TheArtfulDogger]

Hi James

Can you answer the question posed here ? : http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,441638

[Pugwash]

James,

A friend asked Nick Stanton when he knocked on her door recently, to find out about the Southwark Pensioner's Forum.

Until fairly recently they had a council officer who provided support and guidance for them and who also booked rooms in the Town Hall so they could hold their meetings. This officer was recently removed and when the Forum ( set up by Southwark) tried to hire one of the Town Hall Rooms, they were refused. Nick was asked to find out what was happening, as with the removal of the council support officer, all funding for hall hire etc went with her.

As you know the Southwark Pensioner's Forum, along with Simon Hughes, were main movers and shakers for the Pensioner's Parliament recently. Since Southwark Council were the instigators of setting up the Pensioner Forum to get feedback from this group, it seems odd that they are now trying to get this group disbanded. This is what the members of this group feel. Since my friend is a LD supporter, she is annoyed that Nick has not got back to her and local LD candidates could lose her ( and other pensioner in the Forum) vote.

Thanks James

[James Barber]

Hi souc1,

Burrow Road and the path behind it is in South Camberwell ward.

Best to report such anti social issues to the South Camberwarl ward Police Safer Neighbourhood Team:

020 8721 2448

07920 233911

[email protected]

I find it hard to believe that the SNT team can't block both ends if they so choose.

If you get stuck I can take the issue up via the executive councillor responsible for Community Safety.