former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[James Barber]

Hi Strawbs,

I'm baffled. I've never had problems crossing at either of the zebra crossings outside EDT.

Are you being assertive enough?

You might have noticed that the Goose Green roundabout is being reworked at present. The two existing zebra crossing will be brought up to scratch and a new one constructed on the Grove Vale arm.

Hope this helps.

[James Barber]

Hi Fuschia and hoipoloi,

This year everyone has been taken by surprise by the sudden unexpected problems with Primary school admissions.

The GLA have the London statistics unit that informs local authorities about demographics and informs school plans - when we need more school places, less, etc. Until 14 weeks ago the stats were telling us we'd need a new primary school in about 7 years time. The stats now tell us we have a problems now. So bulge classes have been agreed and all children were found suitable places.

Also the process was not as helpful as it needs to be. The process will be markedly improved.

Why the sudden problem this year? Is it people not leaving the area? if not why?

For East Dulwich I had two families contact me and only at the point where they were deeply unhappy but already in the appeals process. This was the first time I've had primary school casework and was advised to let the appeals run their course and then step in if still a problem. I wont be so naive with any future similar casework.

How to avoid this happening again. In the short term bulge classes. Medium to long term is being discussed

[Peckwich]

JBARBER Wrote:

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> Not sure why you'd want to traipse over

> to Peckham Library espeicaly if noisier libraries

> bother you.

I don't think either of us said the noise bothered us. I have only been to Peckham Library a handful of times and it was an observation I made on the first occasion which I recalled due to GSmith's post. It is a very striking building and the noise doesn't deter me from using it. If I were to use a library Peckham would not be inconvenient to me as it is a place I pass by more often than the ones in Dulwich. Besides, on the few times I have been to Dulwich library, it wasn't one of the quietest in Southwark either (apart from the reference library, obviously). Probably also due to the size and acoustics of the place.

On another note, when I was in my teens, being a bit of a bookworm, I loved traipsing around Southwark to visit it's libraries.

[macroban]

> They wanted a plam tree. Council officers consulted a wide area around about a plam tree, london plane tree, heritage light, direction fingers posts

I still have the consultation leaflet. Palm tree?

[Strawbs]

JBARBER Wrote:

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> Hi Strawbs,

> I'm baffled. I've never had problems crossing at

> either of the zebra crossings outside EDT.

> Are you being assertive enough?

> You might have noticed that the Goose Green

> roundabout is being reworked at present. The two

> existing zebra crossing will be brought up to

> scratch and a new one constructed on the Grove

> Vale arm.

> Hope this helps.

Trust me I am being assertive enough! So assertive that Ive even given someone a mouthful when they have almost run me over!

thanks for getting back to me..

[Jeremy]

Thanks for the comprehensive response. Look forward to hearing about the renovations on the DKH estate and the concrete house.

Regarding loft conversions... I think you are slightly mistaken. You don't need planning permission for a loft extension in a *house*, but you do need to apply for full planning permission if it's a flat. And the planning department only allow dormers of a certain size. The result is that if you have a house, you can build a dormer across the whole width of the property, but if you have a flat then you are more restricted.

[James Barber]

Hi Jeremy,

Loft conversions. I've just had my loft converted. We didn't need planning permission because we were within our allowable 'permitted development'.

Take a look at permitted development summary for more details. It does'nt exclude houses from ever needing planning permission to convert a loft.

[Jeremy]

Check out this thread: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?9,72511,75262

Glen Camenzuli (Team Leader Planning Enforcement for Southwark) states that "If your house has been converted into flats, you do not have ANY Permitted Development rights and therefore you will need to apply for Planning Permission if you want to build a loft conversion/extension or any other extension."

This certainly corresponds with my own experience. I don't have a problem with this in itself, but when applying for planning permission, why will they only allow small dormers? It's just daft!

[wonderwoman]

I must say that I've not had any good experiences with Lib/Dem councillors. I contacted Mr Barber and Mr Thomas over two issues on the past, neither replied nor even bothered to acknowledge my emails (could even set an autoreply wouldn't hurt!). I'm bit loathe to say this as both me and my family have been staunch labour supporters, but Kim Humphreys (Tory Councillor) has been more helpful than any of them certainly in the Dulwich area.

[James Barber]

Hi Jeremy,

developing a subdivided house I guess would probably exteniguish any permitted development.

I don't see why any planning application in such circumstances would be limited to small dormer windows.

If you have a scheme I'm happy to look at it and ensure it absolutely gets a fair hearing before councillors.

Regards james.

[James Barber]

Hi wonderwoman,

I'm amazed that you contacted cllr Richard Thomas and myself on two seperate occassions and failed to get a single reply.

I'm sorry sorry.

Obvisouly I wont have logged any casework under the pseudonym of wonderwoman. Could you please contact me direct on [email protected] so I can see what went wrong.

Funily enough I regularly receive casework from residents in Village, College, Peckham Rye and Nunhead wards with residents suggesting they've been unhappy with their local councillors.

[Fuschia]

Have had responses off and on in the past from both ED councillors and College ward (where we now live)

though the College ward ones have been quicker to respond and actually pursued issues, I have a couple of times had no reply from the libdems (or just a holding reply) so I gave up contacting them.

Lewis Robinson, our Tory councillor, is very good. So is Tessa Jowell.

[KalamityKel]

Sorry for sticking a completely unhelpful and not quite topical (or is it) post but...

this is thread is probably one of the best threads going for entertainment value. B)

Can you help? erm...

[sian]

I have had very poor experiences of the local Lib Dem council on the issue of schools. They parked the review of primary school places in the south of the borough for many years and we - in East Dulwich - are now paying the price! They could have acted before now and havent

[Pugwash]

Re Council tax collection. My experience of Southwark Council is that although the councillors are usually pretty on the ball, they are let down by many of the officers who work for Southwark. Some are incompetant, others lazy, some so overworked that they can never catch up. On the whole most southwark employees are good, but those who are agency workers do not always have the same vested interest in the job.

Always had a good service from our 3 LibDem Cllrs - best to meet them in person at the East Dulwich Community Centre. Or write rather than email as they get so many emails from various sources it is easy to overlook a couple.

[mrs.lotte]

Re primary schools; our experience with the LiDem councillors was that they showed a total lack of empathy with the situation, a denial that the lack of places should have been forseen and, only now, an acceptance that there is any sort of problem. IMO It is incorrect and actually rather insulting to assert that everyone has now has a suitable place when many 4 year olds are about to start a school that was not chosen for them by their parents in the 4 choices available to them.

[Narnia]

Deleted as point covered

[Curmudgeon]

Mick I'd just like to tell you that I shared your preconceptions about Academies. No way was I even thinking of considering the 'arris academies for my children. However I have close connections with a new Academy in Lambeth and I have to tell you that you would be amazed at the opportunities, expectations, discipline and enthusiasm in this new Academy. It fulfills my expectations of private education and for free. I am not saying that all Academies are like this / will be like this but if a school in Lambeth can achieve what this school has then I wouldn't dismiss them before at least visiting and learning about them.

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> That was my post Reggie - my wife's login

> unfortunatley.

>

> I believe there is insufficient quality secondary

> schooling in the immediate area, forcing people to

> move out to the Grammar school systems of Kent or

> stay and pay.

> Academies are provided in the area but I believe

> their mandate is generally focused on education of

> deprived areas and that is a specialised form of

> education. In general ED to me is not a deprived

> area and needs higher geared schooling.

> I have had this debate with the people of the

> forum in general before and don't want to go over

> old ground - I would however like however to hear

> the view of James as to how the secondary

> schooling is being improved to meet the improving

> demographics of the area.

[Gimme]

Councillor Barber,

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post.

I've PM'd you if you still want to get involved in the local issue I'm still trying to resolve.

Gimme

[James Barber]

Hi Jeremy,

Update on the Dulwich Park houses. The one by College Road entrance College Lodge is going to be leased by a company called Whippersnappers who've been awarded a leaseholder tenancy subject to contract. That contract including them paying for the College Lodge to be fitted out.

The Roseberry Lodge facing the south circular currently doesn't have funding to fit it out. The Parks Wardens have expressed an interest in being based their for those working in the south of Southwark. Fingers crossed we can find the funding to make this happen.

[EDmummy]

Well done for the speedy responses on here, Cllr Barber, but excuse me for being cynical when you have been in the council for a number of years and obviously already aware of the Forum and chose only now to take the lead of the Network Rail guy (election nearing?). I too have had emails ignored and ended up sorting out problems myself directly with council officials.

The previous incumbents in this ward would door knock and set up a stall in LL about once every few months and speak directly to residents about any issues (in addition to their regular surgeries). Any thoughts of attempting the same?

[James Barber]

Hi EDmummy,

Every month I spend a long day knocking on East Dulwich doors with my ward colleagues. Simple maths says with 5,200 doors at rate of 30 doors an hour it takes sometime for us to knock on every door. Equally we find about 15% of homes have people in when we call. We typically deliver a focus leaflet every month to every home in East Dulwich. we're fortunate that we have volunteers to help with these. You'd be welcome to join us this coming Sunday.

If you'll recall we spent every Saturday for several months outside Somerfield on Lordship Lane collecting signatures for a petition against closing the East Dulwich Police station and we did similar against a needle exchange proposed for Crystal Palace Road.

....and yes to be honest I was inspired by the East Dulwich station manager style for engaging his customers.

as for the previous Labour councillors. Labour councillors represented East Dulwich for a very long time and ran Labour ran Southwark Council for over 40 years. They NEVER invested in the Dulwich Leisure Centre - we're spending ?6.5M. Southwark Labour ran education so badly that a Labour Government appointed private contractors to run it - the same Labour government handed it back to a Lib Dem run Southwark Council. When the Lib Dem took over Southwark in 2002 Labour had achieved a recycling rate of 3.5% and falling - its now at 21% and climbing. I could go on but it feel like a Python sketch 'What have the Lib Dems ever done for us?'

[James Barber]

Hi PugWash,

As part of the centralising of 30 back offices and Southwark Officers in a new admin centre on Tooley street significant sums of money are being saved from removal of duplication. One reception not 30, one lot of security not 30, one accounts payable, one vending contract, etc, etc.

It also means that many of the roles earmarked for reductions once centralised twhere contractors have been employed are being released. You should see a much higher ratio of permanent employees in the future which hopefully reduces the problems you've experienced.

As for communicating with local councillors. We receive 3 couriers of officers reports, residents letters, etc a week. About 12-18 inches of papers to plough through. I diligently read through it. We receive around 30-50 emails a day. Around 3 invites to attend things a day. Most weeks will also involve 3-5 evening meetings (this week tonight, weds and thurs). It's a very busy calling/role. Most councillors have a normal day job to pay the mortgage, acquire a pension, etc.

BUT we work very hard to help as many people as we can while leaving enough time and energy to push for projects that have an impact on our wards while contributing to Southwark wide governance.

Hope that gives a little context.

Basic email etiquette helps immensely so when someone has an issue they make it clear which councillor they are asking for help by sending the email TO them and to CC others if necessary.

[KalamityKel]

JBARBER Wrote:

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> Hi EDmummy,

> Every month I spend a long day knocking on East

> Dulwich doors with my ward colleagues. Simple

> maths says with 5,200 doors at rate of 30 doors an

> hour it takes sometime for us to knock on every

> door. Equally we find about 15% of homes have

> people in when we call.

How do you figure the maths on that? 85% of residents are out when you call? how does that equate to 30 doors an hour? If such a high percentage of residents are not in when you knock have you considered knocking at a time when people are likely to be?

Why must councillors always present things in figures? come on like we're interested in that kind of waffle! We much prefer things to actually BE done...

Can't say I've had yourself OR one of your "colleagues" knocking on my door in the last few months unless you've knocked on the possible 10% chance that someone was not in.

[m7post]

Dear Mr Barber.

I hope you can help. I'm sure many residents of ED will recognise this point. Over recent month in particular but also in general - Lordship Lane running also to East Dulwich station and areas like the start of North Cross Road are looking and smell very grubby these days.

There seems to be no regime in place for the cleaning of pavements , they may get the odd sweep but certainly no proper cleaning/washing. In particular areas out side of takeaways, bus stops and the butcher/fish market stalls on Northcross Road. Walking yesterday afternoon, the place really did smell fairly rank and the general appearance is that of uncared for.

The area outside ED station is often a very poor advert of the area for those arriving here, the phone boxes filthy, graffiti not addressed etc.

I hope the council and councilors will be able to rectify this somewhat embarrassing state of affairs in our area.

With Thanks,

Martin.