former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[James Barber]

Intersting idea from Salisbury - "a group of local residents in Salisbury, including a number of pensioners, have reduced anti-social behaviour, illegal parking and graffiti since they started to patrol the suburbs in hi-visibility jackets." http://www.crp-news.com/htm/n20111018.348010.htm

Any takers for East Dulwich?

[Michael Palaeologus]

A search has revealed nothing on the swimming pass question. So ..... ?

[James Barber]

Hi Michael,

I'm sure I've written this up in the past - eitherway....

Regular swimmers at the Dulwich Leisure Centre could use a Leisure Axess card gives a good a discount this card costs ?50.10 or ?72.30 for a family card. ?2 off peak adult swimming and ?2.40 peak time for Axess card holders.

Non Axess card holders pay ?4 and ?4.30 respectively.

So if someone swims twice a week at peak times they'll spend ?19.20pcm as opposed to the old swim only membership which cost ?24pcm.

Hope this explains why officers have changed things.

[peckhamboy]

James

According to my calculations, twice a week at peak times, including the cost of the Axess card, works out at ?24.98 pcm. So you're paying extra to get a discount that leaves you still paying more overall. But I agree that this probably explains why officers have changed things.

[James Barber]

Hi peckhamboy,

Bother, let me check my maths - I plead in advance very long days.

4.30 x twice a week x 52 weeks a year = ?447.20 or ?37.27 pcm (or off peak ?34.67)

2.30 x twice a week x 52 weeks a year + ?50.10 axess card = ?289.30 or ?24.10 pcm (or off peak ?21.51).

12 months x ?24 = ?288

Apologies for my poor maths. Its 10p a month more expensive using Axess peak times and a bit fiddlier having to take money.

[mrs scoop]

Hello James, regarding the speed bumpson Melbourne grove being redone would it not be a good idea for them to be replaced with the smaller singular bumps incase there has to ever be another diversion? What a waste of money taking them away for the diversion of buses!!!and the ammount of ambulances going up and down here every day, it would be a much more comfortable ride!

The road works have had a massive affect on our businesses, yet again!

[James Barber]

Dear Mrs scoop,

Yes and no.

Certainly they would avoid the need to come out again but then the works their removal has supported shouldn't need to happen again for another 40+ years.

Speed cushions - smaller rectanglar humps - which i think is what you're suggesting can be ignored by vans, trucks and larger cars which

So I'd expect the same sinusoidal speed humps to be returned to ensure all vehicles have to stick to 20mph or below.

[robotcat]

HI James

Sorry but the figure of ?24 a month is incorrect, a swimming pass is actually ?19 a month with a ?20 admin fee or alternatively ?190 a year.

So that final sum would be (12 x 19)+ 20 = ?248, unless you bought the one off membership of ?190 per year, that's a saving of either ?41 or ?98. It also isn't clear if there would be an admin charge of a similar amount payable on the axess card if so that would make the savings even greater.

What I especially like about having a swimming pass is that on the occasions the swimming lane is full, or not at a similar level to me I can simply cut my losses and go at a different time at no extra cost.

[peckhamboy]

In fact, it's even more than that, because James has used ?2.30 instead of ?2.40 in his calculation.

2.40 x twice a week x 52 weeks a year + ?50.10 axess card = ?299.70 or ?24.98 pcm

So a potential increase of ?109.70 by buying the 'discounted' card rather than a swimming only card. Another good deal for residents.

[James Barber]

Blimey peckhamboy, Apologies I passed on informaton in good faith council officials gave me. Let me track down this information myself and come back to you. This will take up to 7 days due to commitments.

[Herroeeeey]

Hi James

Any update please?

[Ko]

hi james

please can you tell me why southwark council is no longer removing dog/fox mess promptly and what the new policy is exactly?

i emailed on 18 oct and 22 oct about dog/fox mess that needed to be cleaned up.

despite my 2 emails to the council, by the afternoon of 26 oct this still hadn't been cleared up (8 days later!!!!!), so i had to clear it up myself. whilst i regularly pick up rubbish on my street, i would rather not pick up other people's dog mess.

please can you explain what is going on and why no one seems to be picking up dog mes anymore?

thanks

[James Barber]

Hi Ko,

How did you report the problem?

It should be removed very promptly as its a health hazard but I do know the Environment call centre is in chaos following the huge volume of calls as a result of the changes to food waste collection and fortnightly collections, etc. I don't see this getting any better for some time as many people just don't seem to know the new collection days which have all changed or got used to the rhythm of fortnightly alternating collections.

Please email me all the details of your call and I will obtain answers as to why you've been ignored.

Hi Herroeey,

Yes, the western end of Whateley Road does have issues which are beign investigated.

This isn't the forum to detail more. Please call me tonight on 07903 964130.

[peckhamboy]

James, please don't take it personally, and sorry if you feel this is a case of shooting the messenger - it certainly wasn't intended that way. It's more a question of wanting to ensure accuracy in the interests of a fair debate. Perhaps, like most of your constituents, you should stop taking at face value anything passed on by council officials!

For the record, whilst I don't always agree with your position on things (eg the CPZ) I appreciate your engagement and availability through the forum and wish that more local councillors were as responsive and active.

James Barber Wrote:

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

> Blimey peckhamboy, Apologies I passed on

> informaton in good faith council officials gave

> me. Let me track down this information myself and

> come back to you. This will take up to 7 days due

> to commitments.

[Sue]

peckhamboy Wrote:

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

>

> For the record, whilst I don't always agree with

> your position on things (eg the CPZ) I appreciate

> your engagement and availability through the forum

> and wish that more local councillors were as

> responsive and active.

>

xxxxxxxx

I'd like to second that.

I think we are extremely lucky to have somebody who is willing to take so much trouble over local issues, some of which may appear relatively minor but all of which are important to the person/people they are affecting.

Thanks, James.

[Fuschia]

Ko Wrote:

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

> hi james

>

> please can you tell me why southwark council is no

> longer removing dog/fox mess promptly and what the

> new policy is exactly?

>

> i emailed on 18 oct and 22 oct about dog/fox mess

> that needed to be cleaned up.

>

> despite my 2 emails to the council, by the

> afternoon of 26 oct this still hadn't been cleared

> up (8 days later!!!!!), so i had to clear it up

> myself. whilst i regularly pick up rubbish on my

> street, i would rather not pick up other people's

> dog mess.

>

> please can you explain what is going on and why no

> one seems to be picking up dog mes anymore?

>

> thanks

I have been advised the website should no

LOnger say its picked up within an

Hour, due to cuts it should say 48h (excluding weekends)

[gsirett]

James

I DO NOT WANT A CONTROLLED PARKING AREA IN EAST DULWIUCH

I've never written to you in any context before and, like many others, really value your input on this forum. I am writing now because I know you listen. And I fear that, in relation to this propsoed CPZ, Southwark are not going to be listening very well.

I want to tell you that I am ABSOLUTELY against the proposed CPZ at East Dulwich station and ask, as a councillor that you put forward my views and the overwhelming views of the people on this forum.....we do not want this CPZ. Please do the right thing, and listen. Do not hide behind the "you elected me" nonsense and also do not eat the pre-determined results of the "consultation process"

I think it could also be argued that the views expresssed here will be a much better sample of the feeling in the area than the very limited, and poorly publised, consultation process currently in progress by southwark council That process is only consulting the reletivly small number of people who live within the proposed CPZ. I find it quite unbelievable, that the consultation does not intend to take on the views of any other members of the community....like people living on neighbouring roads for example. Or local businesses. Or local schools. Or the local hospital.

To re-iterate, I am no "car nut" and generally respect parking restrictions as a necessesity in this city. But this proposed CPZ is wrong, it will not benefit the overall community. All it will do is raise money for Soutwark council (and inconvienience a lot of people)

I am not a "pro-car" fanatic. I have a car, but I mainly cycle and use public transport.

[tomsav]

James,

Re Melbourne Grove speed bumps.

What is the aim of these speed bumps when they are reinstalled? To keep traffic to the speed limit, or to make us travel at much less than the speed limit?

I ask as the ones that were removed made it impossible for me to drive at anything more than 7-8mph over them (I have a normal small runaround car) without damaging my car. If you launched a consultation process to reduce the speed of MG to 8mph and it was passed, I would have no arguement. But this of course hasn't been done - the lower speed limit has been introduced via the back door.

So, in the opinion of the council, at what speed should I be able to drive a normal car down MG after the bumps are reintroduced?

[Marcus]

Slower the better. I live on Melbourne Grove and really enjoyed the road being closed for resurfacing... Very peaceful. Maybe the road could be replaced by a canal with a series of locks? James, how would I go about petitioning the council for the "waterfication" of Melbourne Grove, and from a budget perspective, is it a goer?

... and I'm so glad the bus diversion is temporary. The whole house shudders...

[KateFord]

Hi James - can you help with the issue detailed below. I know it is something that you are well aware of and is a burning issue for the local residents. If you see the below response about the rubbish issue in Melbourne Grove and the surrounding station area it seems that the solution is quite simple and that asking flat residents to put their rubbish out in bags IS NOT A SOLUTION because of the foxes etc. The issue has also been reported on countless occasions to the council by so many people now. Please just get these people a large bin - surely the cost of this would save in the long run!!!! This problem will not just go away.

messageRe: Rubbish in Melbourne Grove

Posted by: windy.g October 18, 04:41PM

Could not agree more with katefords post! As a resident of that end of m. Grove I am disgusted most mornings on my walk to the station.

Several flat tenants have approached the council on numerous occasions re getting bins of some sort and have had no help, on my last call we were told the only option would be to collectively organise collections (as the shops do) but it would be at our expense. They have refused outright a large bin as they state there is nowhere suitable to put it even though a. The pizza place has one outside (albeit business) and b. We have suggested appropriate places (I.e by the old hospital entrance).

The response we consistently get is to continue putting bags in the street and also keep reminding us it's against the law to use other people's bins or place on top of litter bins.

So really we have no alternative and most do put their bins out first thing so rubbish is not strewn about but we would really like a solution to this also.

[James Barber]

Hi gsirett,

To me the East Dulwich Forum is a useful place to quickly find out what some people in East Dulwich think. But it only one format and although online is one of my preferred comms methods it is only one type. Some people have multiple EDF logins and its unclear where people live. So I can only take input via the EDF with a 'pinch of salt'.

The consultation is receiving a very high level of response - partly from publicity via the EDF - and partly because it's a marmite issue.

But thank you for your input to me here and I ask that you please respond to the formal consultation to ensure your views are in officers reports.

Hi tomsav,

I'm sorry to hear that the sinusoidal humps have such a dramatic impact on your speeds such that 7-8mph is the limit for you. These humps are designed to keep all types of vehicles at speeds below 20mph. Speed cushions are ignored by larger cars, vans amd lorries having no speed reduction and lower humps mean such vehciles go faster than 20mph. And I have seen plenty of vehicles going along Melbourne Grove at around 20mph with the humps installed.

and yes it is a real shame that we have such selfish colleague, freinds, families, residents who don't get why they should show consideration speeds - until after they crash into someone.

Hi marcus,

I'm sorry abotu the buses even temporarily going down Melbourne Grove - must bring back unhappy memories about the no.37 bus route that used to go via Melbourne Grove. Full hunmps make it less likley some bright spark will propose no.37 going down your road or the proposal to extend the no.42 via Melbourne Grove bypassing Lordship Lane to Sainsburys. Yes that has been proposed in the last 18months.

Hi KateFord,

Yes, Southwark Council does not cope or support flats above shops well.

I will ask again that each flat is contacted and the system explained to them again. And their is a simple system they need to follow.

[josephs]

there is an abandoned pick up truck in Landells Road opposite 128A, do the council deal with abandoned vehicles?

[James Barber]

Hi josephs,

Yes.

Does it have a valid tax disc or not?

How do you know it abandoned?

[James Barber]

Derwent Grove residents - your road will be closed on Monday 14 November from 8am until no later than 5pm while the massively overgrown treet at the SW corner in the grounds of the block of flats (facing onto 56 East Dulwich Grove) is cut back.

Long overdue and I'm deligthted this work is taking place after a number of residents complained to me but it will see a little disruption on the 14 November.

[josephs]

It has not moved for 5 weeks now, there's nothing in it and it has an out of date tax disc - it appears to be abandoned