former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[apmuso]

Hi James

We live at the station end of Melbourne Grove and are looking forward to our all new-improved road with bumps et al. A couple of posters here have voiced their concerns about traffic causing damage to parked cars. It seems we can't win - we spend months trying to get rid of the pavement parking signs to create wider, safer pavements but the result is the same amount of traffic has less room to manoeuvre, hence the scrapes and damaged wing mirrors! Can you let me know what happened to the idea of making MG one-way, sending the other direction up/down Elsie?

Thanks James. Appreciate your assistance as ever.

Andy

[James Barber]

Hi apmuso,

As per earleir eamil.

The current resurfacing and changes to Melbourne Grove - full entry treatmemt at its junction with grove Vale and sinusoidal humps should make your road much less attractive as a cut through.

I had anticipated that this would have all occurred much closer to when pavement parking ended.

Eitherway, lets see if this resolves the problems highlgihted.

One-way streets generally result in much higher vehicles speeds as no risk of oncoming traffic. Not sure we want Melbourne Grove and Elsie Road to have faster traffic and would be amazed if Elsie Road residents didn't protest in very strong terms if this was being seriously suggested.

[James Barber]

Hi steveo,

I've checked and the latest Southwark Life magazine has been printed and is in the process of being distributed.

If you'd like to see it via internet:

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200109/council_news/1386/southwark_life/1

It interviews the new council leader who talks about all primary school kids getting free school meals and lots of other stuff.

[Loz]

  Quote

It interviews the new council leader who talks about all primary school kids getting free school meals and lots of other stuff.

It'll be interesting to see if this flagship policy survives the spending review. Hopefully not.

[James Barber]

Some time ago the Sustainability Communities Act was passed. Idea is to help local communities, who know what is best for them, become more empowered and take more of the decision making into local hands. It was reconfirmed just before the elections.

One outcome is the presentation of data for all local public bodies to be publicly available. Follow this URL for how this is currently presented

http://www.localspending.communities.gov.uk/

It?s a start.

[James Barber]

I spent Friday evening reporting every pot hols on Melbourne, Derwent, Elsie, Tintagel, Oxanian, Zenoria, Matham, East Dulwich Grove, Ashbourne, Chesterfield, Blackwater, Bassano.

Bloody annoying that this isn't happening automatically following the regular monthly patrols by council highways contractors.

This week I'll cover area bounded by East Dulwich Road, Crystal Palace, Whateley and Lordship.

If you've seen any pothole please do report it via 020 7525 2000 - if deeper than 40mm it has to be made safe within 24hours.

[DJKillaQueen]

if deeper than 40mm it has to be made safe within 24hours

That's useful to know. I did notice after my complaint about Rye Lane that the worst holes were temporarily filled along with those on the East side of Rye Park but it didn't happen within 48 hours. Is that rule for the public highway only or does it extend to for example estate car parks? It should because a car has to be taxed to be parked there, as those areas are considered 'on road' for those purposes, yet efforts to get the potholes (far deeper than 40mm) in those areas fixed are often met with 'there's no budget for that'.

[plimsoul]

hi james,

i've been in touch with regards this before but aside hearing that it now seems to have gone towards 'to sell land' rather than re develop i have heard nothing in over 2 years. please could you chase up or tell me who to follow up with regards the abondoned building on the corner of ivanhoe and bromar.

thanks

[Fuschia]

Loz Wrote:

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

> It interviews the new council leader who talks

> about all primary school kids getting free school

> meals and lots of other stuff.

>

> It'll be interesting to see if this flagship

> policy survives the spending review. Hopefully

> not.

You are hoping they drop the free meals policy?

[James Barber]

Hi Fuschia,

The free school meals idea will cost around ?5M extra per year and require capital to build kitchens at some schools.

I think the money would be better spent avoiding cuts to other services - or even giving tuition to kids that are struggling.

Addtionally, huge proportion - I had once heard half our school kids - are kids who live in other boroughs. Suspect this was for all school kids rather than just infant and primary school kids. Equally, many Southwark kids attend schools in Lambeth and Lewisham. So many families will be paying via council tax for free schools for others but their kids not receiving the benefit.

Many households of low income are finding it really hard to feed themselves will be paying for free school meals for kids regardless of how wealthy the families those kids come from.

The election promise didn't limit the free school meals to state schools.

From an attainment perspective breakfasts are probably more important than lunch.

The argument that poor families are embarassed to avail themselves of free school meals seems spurious as many schools organise free school meals so not clear who gets them for free.

You did have to go and ask me.

Other food related Labour election pledge was to half the charges for Southwark meals on wheels. Southwark charges the London average. So the new charges will be half the London average. Great election sound bite but no obvious sensible policy basis.

[Penguin68]

The general arguments against means testing benefits are that the administrative process of testing may cost more than the money saved, and that means-tested benefits may not be taken up by those eligible, either through 'pride' or because the forms that need to be filled in are so complex and off-putting that people don't bother (i.e. for things like attendance allowance).

Neither, I believe, are true in the case of 'free' school meals; whereas, as James rightly points out, using taxes to subsidise those well able to pay for themselves (when the taxed include those more hard pressed to make ends meet) is madness, particularly were there are so many other more useful things to spend taxes on.

Issues about appropriate nutrition for children are not going to be solved by one school meal a day and the true levels of poverty are 'clouded' by the curious mechanistic Labour formula of the poor being those who have 'less than 60%' of average income - as opposed to objective measures such as housing density, lack of amenities etc. etc. By making 'poverty' comparative you will always have the 'poor' with you until you achieve true socialism where everyone has the same (but of course, everyone could have nothing, - but, by the Labour formula, as long as no one had less than 60% of the average, no one would be poor!). Oh, like Russia before the fall of communism then.

[VikkiM]

Trident and tuition fees were great election sound bites too... funny how quickly they were disposed of ;-)

Many people will be aware that the Tories and Libs have already cut back free school meal provision to 500,000 children as part of the cuts package announced on 24 May. Proposals to cap provision at a certain number or to impose stricter means testing are now being discussed so it's very possible this service will be cut back further. The consequences of these cuts to some of the poorest children in our community are horrific. That a Labour council could step in and reverse some of this is money worth spending in my opinion. If we don't, I don't know how the coalition government will meet its child poverty commitments.

On meals on wheels, Southwark has some of the most deprived communities in London and, as a result, has a history of low charges for those additional services such as meals on wheels that many vulnerable and older people rely on. In addition, the increases in prices made under the Libs didn't actually generate any extra revenue - people just opted out of the service. The whole point of the policy being pursued was presumably to marginalise the service to such an extent that it could just be got rid of under the guise that nobody really needed the service anymore.

Victoria Mills

Labour Councillor for Peckham Rye ward

victoria.mills@southwark.gov.uk

www.peckhamryelabour.blogspot.com

T: 07535932318

[Administrator]

Just a reminder that this thread is mainly for local people to ask the local councillor for help and advice about local issues. It is not a discussion thread for general political issues (or political points scoring) as that puts people off using this useful resource.

[James Barber]

Hi Plimsoul,

Can you tell me who you've been in touch with about the derelict property at the junction of Ivanhoe and Bromar?

Presume this land is part of the East Dulwich Estate which you'll be amazed to hear is in South Camberwell ward.

Anyway, if you tell me who you contacted presumably in the council I can chase them up for an update for you.

[plimsoul]

hi

sorry my post is misleading, last time i asked about this block on this thread a very helpful jeremy replied this:

"Hi plimsoul, I've asked James about these flats before, but I think it's hard for him to get an answer because it's not his ward.

I have asked Katherine Pitt (Community Council Development Officer) about it, and she forwarded the query onto Tracey Downie and Shola Alao (Housing Management). Shola says that their "plan is to dispose of the site", which sounds rather vague. She cc'd Claudette Morris (the Officer of Projects), but she did not provide any more details.

Nobody likes having a derelict building on their doorstep, but more importantly, the land - a decent sized plot - is a council asset which is not being put to use."

therefore i have not actually started pursuing this but would like to.

it seems a total shame to have redeveloped the entire estate (looking great) to then have that eye sore. also, it's also dangerous for drivers using the junction between the streets....plus all the usual reasons why empty buildings/land are wasteful, rat/pigeon magnets etc...

i'd like to sort this out so the new trees on invanhoe and clean estate are not all wasted.

repeating myself now so i'm off....

thanks,a

[Mr P]

***

Zebra crossing desperately needed outside Goodrich school.

Its mayhem outside the gates with cars going passed and people dropping of kids in front of the gate.

It?s been raised hundreds of times before but it?s only a matter of time before there?s a serious accident.

(If the council isn?t prepared to do anything, do you mind if I nip out with a can of white paint?)

***

[sunnysideup]

Hi James

After the latest horrible accident at the junction of Peckham Rye & East Dulwich Grove, could it become a priority to check & re-phase, if necessary, the traffic lights.

Thanks

S

[DJKillaQueen]

But wasn't that accident caused by a stolen vehicle jumping red lights? The main problem I find with that junction are cars turning right where the signs say they clearly can't along with general red light jumping of which buses seem to be the worst offenders. Rephasing won't change any of that.

[sunnysideup]

I began writing a long and detailed proposal outlining exactly how the lights could be re-phased to make this junction a better and safer place, but stopped and deleted it when I realised none of it made any sense.

[James Barber]

Hi Mr P,

As per email I will seek collision datafor area around Goodrich School and when we have this perhaps we could meet up on site to discuss. If clear issue then with an officer.

[James Barber]

Hi DJKillaQueen,

Council housing estate roads. I'm afraid I don't know the policy on pot holes on such estates and will find out.

I've emailed the Dulwich Area Housing Manager and as soon as I have a response will post it here.

[James Barber]

Hi Nero,

Public highway weed killing.

I've contacted the head of highways in Sotuhwark asking about the general program and specifics for Goodrich Road.

As soon as I have a reponse I'll post it here.

[Carrie]

Hi James

Have you heard back fromt he tree officer yet regarding the trees on Grove Vale which are due for the chop!

[James Barber]

Hi Carrie,

I have/did on Friday. Apologies for not updating sooner. Slipped my mind.

Southwark Councils tree team has confirmed it has no plans to remove any trees from Goose Green. However they are planning to remove the Plane tree outside 111/113 Grove Lane. The reasons being:

- This tree exhibits extensive basal and trunk decay.

- The tree has been implicated in alleged subsidence to both 111 and 113 Grove Vale.

A replacement tree will be planted in the planting season, November 2010 to March 2011.

So it looks a sensible call.

[Jeremy]

plimsoul Wrote:

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

> it seems a total shame to have redeveloped the

> entire estate (looking great) to then have that

> eye sore.

I totally agree - I'm not sure how to progress now, since my communications with the council have lead me to something of a dead end.

Maybe councillors Veronica Ward and Peter John would be able to help?