former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[Steady Eddy]

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[Eileen]

Steady Eddy Wrote:

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> Dearest dearest sweet smelling peckhamrose

As

> a public panel member you were elected to

> represent one area of the community's voice. It

> concerns me of some of the things you said in your

> post to me and I do hope there are others that

> disagree with your points as much as I do, so will

> mean that all communities have their voice heard

> in your area.

Hi Steady Eddy and all - I am sure Peckham Rose can respond to the several points for her in your reply. But this one quoted above needs correcting factually. There are NO elections to the Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panels. They are there for any resident or business in the ward to go along and make their views known. The first step is to get onto their mailing list - to do this cotnact the police or the town hall or ward councillor who can give the details for any ward. Of course if dozens of people started attending one they might have to change the process for that, and have some kind of selection, but for the moment they seem open to anyone with an interest in improving the information channels between the police and the local area.

[Steady Eddy]

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[Gimme]

Steady Eddy - Why don't you volunteer for civilian installation of speed bumps on residential streets instead of this absolute nonsense of having random punters wandering around with speed-guns? (oh and try to keep any reply a bit shorter than the last ones...please!)

[Steady Eddy]

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[Gimme]

Well done! Very short.

The proposal isn't to put 20 mile an hour signs between Elephant and Castle and ED. It is to put them in residential streets. So instead let's have speed bumps in residential streets not signs and Dads Army speed traps.

The road from E&C to ED has traffic calming measures ensuring the slowest of speeds for all road users. They are called buses.

[Steady Eddy]

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[Steady Eddy]

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[m7post]

Re: East Dulwich councillor - can I help?

Posted by: m7post September 08, 08:23AM

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.

[PeckhamRose]

Thanks Eileen. Indeed I have not been elected by anyone to do anything. I just turn up to meetings. Anyone can. Kids have turned up too. It's Good. Sorry it's not being run like you'd want it mate. You and your rules and regulations, eh?

"Go away and have a look at this concept." Such arrogance. I shall just go away if that's okay.

"It is to educate and is an awareness tool, not to punish..." And that is so not true.

[huncamunca]

Mr Barber

PCSO's have been doling out fines and suchlike on Peckham Rye of late, to people who are invariably sitting quietly and having a beer or two . I understand that the Rye is part of the Soutwark controlled drinking zone. I beleive that the CDZ's were introduced to limit aggressive street drinking - having an afternoon beer on the Rye doesnt seem to come under the ethos of the regulation

I also understand that ED poper is specifically excluded from the CDZ - so it seems acceptable to drink outside our "vibrant" bars until the early hours and cause all kinds of problems for local residents

can you explain this apparent dichotomy - whereby it would seem Southwark is unwilling to take in hand the real and persistant problem of businesses that have utter disregard for the lives of those who have to live within the fallout zone of their destructive money making trade & the rights of adults to consume alchohol sensibly in the wider environment ?

[Siduhe]

huncamunca, I agree there seems to be a misunderstanding by some PCSO's of the way that the control order is supposed to work if this is happening (and not just in Southwark - I have seen this in other boroughs in London too). As Southwark's own website makes clear, it is not a outright ban on drinking in public, but intended to give them a power to remove alcohol from people causing a nuisance. If people are getting fined for having a quiet drink in public I would imagine there are good grounds to challenge this.

My recollection from the time the control order was introduced (2006) was that Dulwich wards were left out because they had (comparatively) almost no instances of the type of aggressive street drinking which was supposed to be targeted by this order. That may have changed a bit, not sure, but was the reason given at the time. I lived elsewhere in Southwark that was being targeted by the control order and it did make a massive (positive) difference there.

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/YourServices/CommunitySafety/drugsandalcohol/

[Gimme]

huncamunca Wrote:

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> "it would seem Southwark is unwilling to take in

> hand the real and persistant problem of businesses

> that have utter disregard for the lives of those

> who have to live within the fallout zone of their

> destructive money making trade"

Lets not get too excited... We live less than 100 metres from Lordship Lane, at the end with most of the "vibrant" bars and never see any problems beyond a bit of litter. You seem to have a valid point about the ridiculousness of fining people for having a quiet beer on Peckham Rye Common but don't ruin your point by using phrases such as "disregard for the lives" and "fallout zone".

If you have a problem with late night noise outside a specific pub that you live very close to you are able to put in a complaint to the council and this will probably be taken quite seriously. You could also complain to the pub who will probably take action to avoid any issues regarding their licence.

[Steady Eddy]

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[2Sheds]

Sorry Gimme...You're not quite right there! We live less than 20 metres from Lordship Lane, probably in your street, and since the opening of the Boho Bar we now witness, on a regular basis, men urinating against the back/side door of the Day Lewis Chemist/Threshers Wine Shop.

[Gimme]

Sorry to hear that 2Sheds. As you guessed, I live further up that road and never see anyone urinating there (as per my point, I never see any issues other than litter and flytipping). Maybe that's the difference that 80 metres makes.

However, we chose to live near Lordship Lane to take advantage of its vibrancy and have to suffer the consequences (which for us is appalling parking). You are also in the same boat I'm afraid. If you choose to live next to a road with a thriving nightlife, you will need to accept the disadvantages as well as the advantages.

I'm pretty sure that despite you witnessing a bit of anti-social behaviour, you do not feel like you live in a fall-out zone or that your life is blighted. Therefore my point was correct in spirit.

You need to complain to Boho if you feel that they are the cause of this issue.

[Tarot]

I agree with Gerritsmith' about indigenous plants.,especcially trees. we should try and introduce the Elms etc.We should preserve our heritage flora etc, spend money on our green spaces and parks, making it pleasant for all to enjoy.I think its very condescaending to plant palm trees in Peckham Rye, racist even. Whose idea was it? It cant be to make people feel at home as most people that live there now were born there. Apart from that the trees are not happy in our climate.

[sian]

sian Wrote:

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> Please tell me why Southwark sends so many letters

> re electoral registration ? I have had 7 letters.

> Replied to the first with all details and then I

> continue to receive these.

>

> Also why has so much money been sunk into a brand

> new town hall at one end of the borough on prime

> development land>? Couldnt this money have been

> spent on services for council tax payers? Say on

> increasing school places?

Reply??

[James Barber]

Hi ralphation,

You've suggested crashes are caused by lack of visibility.

I'd suggest excessive speed even when drivers can't see clearly. On roads where they've made sight lines 'better' or 'longer' speeds go up and collissions and severity of collissions usually go up as well.

A good driver will recognise they can't see behind a parked car, etc and slow down accordingly.

which specific junction are you referring to where you've seen so many crashes?

I can then check where it appears in the crash data and when it will be fully reviewed to try and design out factors leading to crashes.

Regards james.

[James Barber]

Hi Karter,

Yes we would like average speed cameras on Barry Road and Lordship Lane. I believe they would have a hugely civilising effect.

Lordship Lane, like most through routes, forms a ribbon of crashes. Barry Road has a couple of spot locations where crashes occur. Both would be hugely reduced in numbers of crashes if speeds were reduced.

We've been waiting for several years for the Labour Government to allow average speed camera use in urban areas for 20 and 30 mph streets.

Southwark Council has been taking part in a Department of Transport trial with average speed cameras in Rotherhithe. Results in still no change to the rules.

[James Barber]

Hi Gimme,

I'm sorry to see you being so cynical about the work we've been undertaking to bring 20mph speed limites to East dulwich streets that want it. This work is likely to result in your street having this limit and potentially speed humps etc that you've been pressing me for for some time.

If you no longer want this and have had a change of heart please do tell me.

[Loz]

Hi James,

Can you possibly help with this one?? I cite one specific example, but I suspect it is standard practice.

There is a bin on Abbotswood Road, near the top of St Francis Road. About once a week someone - I guess a council person - comes along and changes the liner of the bin. The old full one is tied up and placed near the bin for another team to collect. This second team does not turn up until a day or so later and by then the local fox population has ripped the liner apart and strewn the contents over a wide area.

Is there anything you can do the fix this flawed process??

Loz

PS Can I just add my voice to the 'don't hand out speed guns to a bunch of nosey, supposed do-gooding, busybodies'. Policing should be done by police. Alternatively, the person doing the 'reporting' MUST be named so that the person complained about can take any necessary action against them (legal, if necessary) should they be prejudicial, erroneous or incompetent. They must be directly and legally accountable.

[James Barber]

Hi indiepanda,

Blimey, that a lot of points.

- 2 year for new traffic lights means we have to sit on funds for a long time with no benefit. We need quicker solutions and ones that we know will work.

- East Dulwich Plice Safer Nrighbourhood Team are happy to prioritse speeding when the community panel tell them. We've provided speed camera/gun and they reques this kit to help them do their jobs.

- Damage from speeding. 97% of pedestrains survie collission at 20mph, 50% survive at 35mph. So even 1-3 mph makes a profound difference to survival rates. Living Streets.

- Speeding drivers often have other issues but primarily focused on speeding.

- Community speed watch. Take a look at Community Speed Watch the idea if residents on a street want to help resolve a problem fantastic. It also means the speed gun.camera kit we've provided goes further.

[James Barber]

Hi peckhamboy,

80-85% of vehicles on the streets in East dulwich listed ARE managing to exceed 20mph. So quite significantly.

Take a look at Community Speed Watch. They have'nt had vendettas or the other issues you've suggested. Empowering residents to help fix speeding problems on their street is a good thing.

Police priorities. Traffic crashs cause as many residents to be killed and seriously injured in Southwark as all other 'real' crime and is much easier to reduce.

[James Barber]

Hi sian,

Sorry to hear you've received 7 letters. If you email me at [email protected] I'll seek an explanation.

The new Southwark Council back office amalgamates 30 other offices dotted around Southwark. That's 30 receptionist teams down to one, security guards the same, 100 drinks machine contractors down to one, one accounts payable going forward, etc, etc. This is already saving a huge sum of money which means the huge cuts made by central goverment have'nt been a disaster resulting in Southwark services being slashed.

As importantly some of those 30 offices were so dilapidated that they would have cost ?30M to patch. For example the planning department has frequent waste pipe problems literally causing crap in the office. So to keep the best council officers we now havea modern office to work in.

The one draw back is we could'nt procure such a building near to the Elephant&Castle and more central to Southwark Residents.