former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[buddug]

James wrote: "So if anyone lives in a house sub divided into two flats and both are leaseholders of Southwark council then you can buy the freehold and no longer have Sotuhwark Council Housing ruling you. If 2 flats in house subdivided into 3 flats you can also do it, etc."

Oh James, do go away. This does not address fazer71's problem. The other person in the property is a tenant of Southwark council, not another leaseholder. Southwark owns that flat. So he can't buy the freehold. Read people's posts properly before you start spouting the regulations without applying them to a particular case.

[fazer71]

On balance I think James does want to help. How about cutting him some slack?

[James Barber]

Hi buddug,

Grove Vale new ponding/puddles. The contractors will be on site tomorrow or Friday. They will slightly adjust the levels of the footway and introduces small gulley.

[buddug]

james wrote: "Grove Vale new ponding/puddles. The contractors will be on site tomorrow or Friday. They will slightly adjust the levels of the footway and introduces small gulley."

Well, a bit of good news. But your silence on another matter speaks volumes. But I do hope you can help fazer71, and address the ludicrous situation where local (or national) taxpayers have spent an unnecessary and completely wasted ?10,000 in 13 years on my flat due to lax administration and damages due to bodged work.

[James Barber]

Hi buddug,

Re reading your and dfazer71 posts on leaseholder housing management I'm unclear how I can address 13 years of past history.

But I can help with the next tranche or work. You should have received an estimate of the next years work. If it looks odd please email me and well arrange for me to visit you.

[buddug]

James wrote: "Re reading your and dfazer71 posts on leaseholder housing management I'm unclear how I can address 13 years of past history."

Same old same old. Well James, you said you'd try and help fazer71. And as to my 13 years, costing taxpayers ?10,000 in money down the drain (and much hassle and upset for me) you could ask some serious questions of the housing department to explain their mismanagement and profligacy. Do I have to tell you how to do your job as a councillor?

And yes it is past history, but I asked you for help on some ongoing problems early last year and you said you couldn't do anything. No doubt if I'd asked you five years ago for help, or indeed 13 years ago when it all kicked off, you similarly wouldn't have been able to help.

I and my upstairs neighbour are currently being charged ?500 for repainting of the peeling external paintwork which was done at my request to make good the bodged work done by southwark contractors previously - that didn't even need doing in the first place. Maybe you could start there, to save me yet more inconvenience and the expense of taking them to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal. But I'm not holding my breath.

[the-e-dealer]

I am beginning to Like James Barber - Bit of a Mr Bean Councillor!

[Loz]

Buddog - you finally, after 13 years, have found someone that may be able to help you, and you are behaving like an a**e to him.

[Zebedee Tring]

If I were JB, I would stop posting on this site. Because he is brave enough to put his head above the parapet, some people (often anonymously) abuse him in a manner that they wouldn't dare to face to face.

The moral is: behave like an old-fashioned Councillor and interact with the local punters as little as possible. That way, you will have a quieter life.

[grumpyoldman]

see my post Controversial and agree with your thoughts

[buddug]

Loz wrote: "Buddog - you finally, after 13 years, have found someone that may be able to help you, and you are behaving like an a**e to him."

Hi Loz, you're not reading my posts carefully. I turned to him in desperation early last year and he could only suggest I buy the freehold, as though that were the easiest thing in the world. He's only saying he'll help now because I've brought his inaction to the public domain. He's simply playing to the gallery. Ignore him.

Hi the-e-dealer: James's CPZ stance whatever it is as it's all over the shop and it certainly isn't a democratic one, on top of everything else, would be hilarious if it weren't so tragic.

And by the way, Zebedee Tring (great name!), I am not anonymous. I am in fact Anne Reckless (yes, sadly, that's my real name) of Oglander Road, as James knows full well. And as to not being willing to say the same things to him face to face, I will be attending the East Dulwich community council meeting on the 24th and will have plenty to say to him over the coffee and sandwiches, as I did with poor Peter John, our great leader, at the Camberwell community centre on the 9th. In his case, however, I later emailed him to say how much I admired (sincerely, I hasten to add) his courage in mingling with the unwashed masses, like myself!

[Zebedee Tring]

Hi, buddug. I wasn't suggesting that you were anonymous, just that some of JB's critics are anonymous. And criticism is always OK, provided that it's not abusive.

BTW my real name is not Zebedee Tring. Mr Tring was a curmudgeonly old rustic character in The Archers who died (or was rather written out) about 40 years ago.

[buddug]

Hi Zebedee. I realised it wasn't your real name, which is why I said Anne Reckless was sadly my real one! But I didn't know he was once a character in the Archers - I'm not a big fan, but do listen to it from time to time when I need a comfort fix! It's still a great poster name though. By the way, I've just edited my previous post to address another issue you raised about speaking to these people face to face. And I've consciously refrained from actual abuse in all my posts (though God it hasn't been easy!). It's just that it's infuriating when our elected representatives behave in a certain way, while at the same time presenting themselves as rational, caring individuals.

[Chippy Minton]

Edited and reposted on the more appropriate "Controversial" thread in the Lounge

[Otta]

IPE said (ages ago now)

It seems transparent to all except James

"Barber that the proposed CPZ will

inevitably have a negative impact on

neighbouring streets, residents of which

must be considered stakeholders."

Frankly, why should the council give a toss what the residents want? Residents don't own the highway.

buddug, do you really expect James to be an expert on everything? He's a human being who tries to help. I'm sure he would have loved to have been able to help you further, but slating him on here just makes you come over as a bit of a shit.

Have you tried writing to / visiting your MP?

[buddug]

Otta said: "makes you come over as a bit of a shit"

Now who's being abusive? And as to "why should the council give a toss what the residents want", maybe because they're our democratic representatives, and are there to serve us? Hello? Of course I don't expect James to be an expert on everything, but I do expect him to at least pretend to pull his finger out.

[Bellenden Belle]

Hello Cllr Barber,

There is currently a debate taking place in the family room about the Gardens Cafe which is situated at 184 Peckham Rye,SE22 9QA. You might recall that for years the building was shut with planning permissions for a cafe / restaurant constantly refused because of its location in a residential area.

One of the key differences which I suspect led to planning permission finally being granted was the "Change of use of the ground floor to cafe/restaurant (Class A3) with a community room (Class D1) for meetings and local artist display function".

It seems that the community room which has to this point been used for activities including NCT groups meets, baby and toddler groups, health and safety training, is now being used as a deli and is not open for such group hires. However I can see no record of this space being granted permission to change its usage from Class D1 which I understand is defined as "Non-Residential Institutions - Surgeries, health centres, cr?ches, nurseries, day centres, art galleries, museums, libraries, halls, churches and non-residential education and training centres."

Community space is a valuable commodity in London and the thread in the family room highlights the need for such a facility in this area. Could you investigate whether such a change in usage without seeking further planning permission is acceptable for this location?

Many thanks.

[Otta]

Get in there BB, excellent call!

[Otta]

buddug Wrote:

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

> Otta said: "makes you come over as a bit of a

> shit"

>

> Now who's being abusive?

Not me. I wasn't calling you anything, I was telling you how your posts are coming across. Even Fazer, who was with you, told you to give it a rest.

And as to "why should the

> council give a toss what the residents want",

> maybe because they're our democratic

> representatives, and are there to serve us?

That doesn't mean the residents should be able to decide where they can park their cars. They have no say over the roads outside of their houses, and nor should they.

Serving you does not mean doing exactly as you wish.

[gm99]

Bellenden Belle, you can make a complaint directly to Southwark's planning department.

[Lynne]

What's the law about leaving caravans (not motorhomes) on the street?. We seem to have acquired one in our road

And back to the ?1,000,000 station fence, I'd happily do it for ?800,000 if that helps

Lynne

[Chippy Minton]

They [residents] have no say over the roads outside of their houses, and nor should they.

I doubt even James Barber would agree with this! Otherwise, what the hell is the point of having a consultation exercise and the community meetings to allow people to "have their say" in the first place?

[buddug]

Otta, have you ever heard of road tax?

[Otta]

Yes I have, it is to keep the roads in good order, it is not to allocate a parking space outside your house.

what the hell is the point of having a consultation exercise and the community meetings to allow people to "have their say" in the first place?

There is no point most of the time. It's a hoop that they have to jump through.

[peckhamboy]

Too many people in public services have this attitude. The clue is in the word "service"...