former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[Ko]

James Barber Wrote:

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> Hi Ko & the-e-dealer,

> Have recessed the weeds on Landells and Friern

> Roads + Landcroft and asked if any change to the

> weed management.

hi james, thanks for the reponse but i don't understand what you are trying to say. the weeds are still there - will they be removed?

many thanks

[Alan Medic]

Hi James, can the council provide 'no junk mail' signs. A lot of my paper recycling is just that. I don't want it but how can it be stopped?

Also the number of blue bins is a waste. Surely people could have been given the chance to share a bin? The area now looks like there are numerous bins awaiting the call to 'dalek like' attack the area.

[peterstorm1985]

I wish we could have 'no junk mail' signs at the end of the street. Or what about the whole of ED? That might be as good as the SNUB campaign

[James Barber]

Hi Alan Medic,

Please contact Southwark Environment team for an anti junk mail pack via 020 7525 2000

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200276/how_to_reduce_waste/1666/junk_mail/1

Hi peterstorm1985,

As most letter boxes don't say no junk mail I suspect many must be happy to receive it.

[Herroeeeey]

Hi James,

Is there any update on this one please? Does this have shared ownership across a few areas of the council or how does it work?

Herroeeeey Wrote:

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> Hi James

>

> There is currently a worsening situation on

> Whateley Road which I would like to bring to your

> attention again and ask what can be done please.

>

> There is a car repair operation in Whateley Road

> that is causing much frustration for local

> residents and users of the road with the following

> issues being of major issue:

>

> 1. Cars worked on in the street

> 2. Many noisy power tools on the street which are

> not only noise pollution but dangerous(cables

> across the pavement)

> 3. On yellow lines and in parking bays all day

> EVERY day.

> 4. Engines are revved to there limit many times

> day EVERY day.

> 5. Cars are sprayed in their garage which is far

> far from air tight; this means the fumes are there

> for all passers by to breath in AND entering homes

> of local residents.

> 6. Openly advertising cars that are for sale on

> the street (means a huge impact to being able to

> park in the area)

>

>

> So all in all makes for a fairly unpleasant

> experience let alone the foul mouthing I get when

> walking past having asked them not to take these

> actions in the past.

>

> Some of these activities are, I believe, in

> contravention of leases provided by the council

> and also illegal.

>

> Can you advise what action is being taken

> currently by the council please?

James Barber Wrote:

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> Yes horrified and amazed that despite everyone's

> efforts this is still going on. All right under

> the noses of the Police station.

>

> I'll see if I can get the ball rolling again to

> address these issues. I'm really sorry that after

> all that chasing and action this private business

> is still causing such grief.

[James Barber]

Hi Herroeeey,

I'm afraid this sort of thing isn't an instant fix. I've asked what and when can be done and will keep pushing.

[Herroeeeey]

thanks - if there is anything you need from me please let me know.

[James Barber]

A little out of East Dulwich ward but within SE22.

I've been asked about the junction of Forest Hill Road with Colyton. Next year several koto OS will be consulted upon by council officers about this junction and all Forest Hill Road generally.

[fazer71]

James Barber Wrote:

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> I have met with Network Rail and Southern about

> and to make this station fully DDA Compliant NR

> believe they need to constant a new ?1M retaining

> wall on the southern side. They'd then be able to

> install a lift and full set of stairs and would

> want to remove the sloe.

>

> Realistically i don't see that level of investment

> being obtained.

?1Million RETAINING WALL?

That's some expensive wall!

Are you sure that's the correct figure?

How much is that per metre SQ or Cubic metre.

Sounds like BS, a miscalculation or you / they are being palmed off.

Even if it was 50 metres long and 10 metres high and it?s probably ? of that would be ?2,000 a cubic metre! Where it should be ?200!

Or ?100,000 that?s a zero too many! IE ?900,000 too much?

[James Barber]

If you look at the tiny section of wall just in from the ticket office at East Dulwich station you can see it bending out. If Network Rail change the access they would need to ensure DDA compliance - probably via a lift and a new stair case as DDA ramps would be very long to ensure no more than 1:20 with staging points at the requisite frequency. So the retaining wall would need to really cut into the embankment while keeping train services running. It would need to be around 100m long. Agreed it sounds an incredible price. I'm not sure they were fobbing us of as it would result in one of their stations being upgraded and they'd end up with a new ticket office.

[peterstorm1985]

fazer71, a retaining wall for a train track isn't the same as a wall for a stable loading condition. I guess they would have to pile it, which means heavy machinery. And if they have to keep the track open for the duration of the works, that will add a significant amount due to night working - they couldn't work that close to the track with trains running. In order to get direct access to the works they'd either have to close the garden centre or knock down the ticket office, which would then need rebuilding.

[fazer71]

James Barber & peterstorm1985

Thanks points taken.

If it's 100 metres long and requires night work piling at ?1,000 a pile that still only adds ?100,000 which ever way I look at it it's still IMO a staggering amount for a retaining wall.

Maybe they meant ?1 Million for everything including the Lift etc.

I wouldn?t be surprised if not as it?s possible to make any figure sound like sense except where someone overseeing is applying common sense some knowledge along with a mathematic calculus approach and is independent.

BUT IF (as is likely) the rail contractor is on a large backhander with the Rail management as are the majority of Southwark contractors all working together to carve up the work with the Southwark works managers then there is no hope . We?ll be looking at the 1/2 Billion pound Rail Station Refurbishment next.

[James Barber]

Hi fazer71,

If you have any evidence of any bribery, backhanders or 'carve up the work# then please do report it. Fraud spreads and all instance must be stamped out. You can either meet me privately, call the Police or I can arrange a confidential meeting with the officer in charge of defeating fraud.

I've been a member of the councils Audit & Governance Committee since it inception and very keen to counter any and all fraud.

[waterlillygirl]

Hi, I've sent an email to your address but wanted to address the post issue here too. Moved into the ED are about 1.5 months ago and have only received a trickle of mail. I know things have not arrived as have had to collect my tenancy agreement from the lettings agents when it failed to arrive twice. I'm going to be keeping a record of missing mail but I'm now rather worried that letters for hospital appointments etc may not arrive. Has there been any improvement or feedback on the delivery of post in the area?

Thanks

[fazer71]

James Barber Wrote:

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> Hi fazer71,

> If you have any evidence of any bribery,

> backhanders or 'carve up the work# then please do

> report it. Fraud spreads and all instance must be

> stamped out. You can either meet me privately,

> call the Police or I can arrange a confidential

> meeting with the officer in charge of defeating

> fraud.

> I've been a member of the councils Audit &

> Governance Committee since it inception and very

> keen to counter any and all fraud.

James

Difficult to prove if I could I?d be straight onto the Fraud Squad.

My experience with Major works contracts on properties where Southwark own the Freehold and are responsible for instructing the works.

10?s of thousands are spent on unnecessary works at extortionate rates, it is obvious to anyone in the building trade that such rates are only possible if the Surveyor, Southwark Works Manager and Contractors are on a Major Carve Up.

(ie Council Job!)

It wouldn?t be so bad but often the quality of the work is below third rate and there is absolutely nothing that can be done.

It?s incredibly hard to prove anything, but it is 100 % obvious that the contract values are inflated beyond reasonable and the finished works are substandard.

It has been going on for years and costing Southwark council and leasholders a fortune.

[Penguin68]

It has been going on for years and costing Southwark council and leasholders a fortune.

This is a very serious allegation - if you have knowledge of any particular jobs you believe are suspect it might be worth involving the District Auditors. Of course many people suspect problems of this nature in the building trades (and these were proven in the case of Lambeth, if I recall)

Massive and unecessarily costly works for instance turn out to be (a) legitimate and (b) still massive and costly in PFI schemes - part of the scandal of this type of funding. Sometimes call-off contracts also lead to huge inefficiencies without actually themselves being criminal (just very badly negotiated).

There is a fine line sometimes to be drawn between incompetence and fraud, but they are different things even where their results seem very similar. I would not be at all surprised to find thorough-going incompetence in the Borough offices, more surprised to find all-out fraud (though, as I have said, it is hardly unknown in the building industry, with kick-backs and uncompetitive tendering processes).

[DulwichFox]

Brown Bin for Food waste.. Bagged up my food waste in bags privided by Council and put in my large brown bin.

Placed in accessable place to make it easier for Refuse Collection Technicians ???

Collection day Tuesday... What could go wrong. ??

Wasn't collected..

New Scheme failed on first day.

Brilliant.

Good job the weather has turned colder.

Fox

[James Barber]

Hi DulwichFox,

Did you report this failure via 020 7525 2000?

[the-e-dealer]

Yeah what else can you get cancelled in E Dulwich ?

[James Barber]

Hi the-e-dealer,

I'm sorry you're unhappy with The Colour Thief...not proceeding.

What event do you (and others) think should happen in the Dulwich area going forward? And at what time in the year.

Personally i think a bigger Dulwich Festival.

[the-e-dealer]

A fireworks Display in November would be good.

[James Barber]

But we have several already in the area. In fact we're surrounded by public displays and also a fab one at Dulwich Sports Club of off Burbage Road. The Dulwich College Prep School one on Gallery Road is also supposed to be good.

We did suggest that if the council really wanted to add another local firework event then Belair Park would be a better venue than Dulwich Park - but they declined.

But we don't have very many other local events spread out during the year. Funding the Dulwich Festival a regisitereed charity would give far greater value for money.

[Penguin68]

Many years ago I recall a fine summer festival in Dulwich Park which concluded wth a classical pops concert, closing with the 1812 accompanied by a good fireworks display. I really enjoyed that night with my family and I would be happy to see it repeated. We get enough fireworks around Halloween anyway (although Guy Fawkes/ Bonfire night is a good English tradition which should not be lost to some wishy washy multi-cultural sell-out).

[Sue]

James Barber Wrote:

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> Hi DulwichFox,

> Did you report this failure via 020 7525 2000?

xxxxxx

I just did. Totally useless. They will just report a "miscollection" and collect it "within 48 hours".

When I said it wasn't just me, they said "oh well when they come to collect yours they will realise other people's haven't been collected either."

Er, how? It's all in closed bins!

Then they said, they will realise the whole street hasn't been done.

Er, how?

When other people phone to tell us.

Words fail me. Surely they have a collection schedule?

ETA: They must have said "missed collection", not "miscollection", sorry!

[James Barber]

Penguin68. That sounds a great suggestion for an event. That could be quite some finale to the Dulwich Festival.

What other ideas for Dulwich events do people have?