Sue

Many moons ago I used to write replies like that for Royal Mail. Your letter will get passed to someone like me to investigate, liaise with the appropriate people and draft a reply for the CEO 😀 but yes it will get dealt with quickly because you have gone to the top. I intend to write to her too, let's hope if there's enough pressure we can at least persuade them to look at other options, eh.

red devil Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Try and get some plants that are evergreen to > provide all year round greenery, again ferns are > good for this. Not all ferns are evergreen, so make sure you get ones which are (and suit your conditions) if you want them to be green through the winter! Climbers are lovely to give you height and to clothe fences etc and many are suitable for containers. Don't plant anything too vigorous near the house though! Many climbers are scented. If you plant perennials in pots they will mostly be dormant in winter, but be aware they are hopefully still living beneath the compost, so don't excavate huge holes to plant other things on top :)

ianr Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Here are a couple of pictures of the Oglander Road > tip. Bloody hell.

alice Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > wont the whole thing get dug up with the changes > planned there? If the beds are being relocated surely they will also relocate the plants? It will cost them an arm and a leg to replace them all. I have a vested interest as we held a benefit gig for this garden many moons ago :)

nxjen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > And not dig up the whole plant? Well not if it's part of the garden!

She surely meant just pick a few sprigs ?

:(

Captain Kernow Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > As for the comments regarding Whateley Road being > a dark and dangerous place I think we all need to > get a grip and stop scaremongering. It's well lit > and unlike many streets in ED is on a busy Bus > route. I don't presume to know any facts of this > incident other than those stated but one would > assume this is more of an opportunist mugging than > the new norm for Whateley road. I agree. I often walk down Whateley Road, including at night, and this incident won't stop me doing that. Muggings can happen anywhere. In this case one unfortunately happened here. That doesn't mean Whateley Road has suddenly become a hotbed of crime. I hope you're OK, LynseyR, horrible thing to happen.

Are they swarming early because of the warm weather?

I presume nobody has received any info because apparently Royal Mail are not obliged to consult residents, nor apparently were they before privatisation.

But somewhere with volunteers??

But they do allow vans. You have to register it in advance and you are only allowed four van loads a year. It was in a council leaflet about recycling I got through my door this morning. Unless I've misremembered. Can't be bothered to fish the leaflet out of my recycling bin :))

Just to add, although the circumstances were slightly different (though I can't remember why) Helen Hayes said that Black heath residents had successfully resisted Royal Mail's attempts to move their delivery office to Greenwich. This success was in large part due to pressure from influential residents' associations (I think). Does anyone else who was at the meeting have a better recollection of what was said?

lavender27 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Ground-nesting bees can be encouraged to move to > another location by sprinkling water on their > nests. They must have to move home every time it rains, then, poor things :(

She's been registered on the forum for over two years, but hasn't posted much. She may have ideas you disagree with, but I don't think she is a troll.

I was also at the meeting. The main problem with the current ED delivery office is that it is not big enough for present requirements, with the increase in online shopping etc, so that sometimes the staff have been required to sort items outside. It was not clear whether or not Royal Mail had considered other options (eg one person at the meeting suggested relocating to a unit on the ED industrial estate), but given the value of the site and the fact that Royal Mail is now privatised, it seems that they are likely to prioritise getting money from the sale over the convenience of local residents. I queried whether the existing office could be expanded outwards or upwards, but really the sorting all needs to be done on one level. A Union rep from the Peckham office was also there, and they aren't very keen on this proposed move either. Although there is room for the actual sorting requirements, the callers' office is apparently not very big. Helen Hayes said that within Southwark, West Norwood was also affected, and in that case residents would be required to collect post/parcels from Anerley, which is actually "skipping over" the nearest office to West Norwood. There is a suggestion that the library, local shops or (as I think is available now) the Post Office could be used as pick-up points in ED, however this depends on sufficient space being available and I imagine there could be a charge. If the ED office does become combined with the Peckham office, and if pick up point/s for undelivered items are made available in ED, those undelivered items would be taken back from ED to Peckham for resorting and then brought back to the ED pick-up point/s. Although this seems inefficient, it is because trying to sort stuff into a logical order at the pick-up points would be a nightmare. Another issue raised is that because of the time taken for posties to get from Peckham to East Dulwich and back to do their delivery, each postie's "walk" would be shorter, though there would have to be more of them. It wasn't entirely clear how this would affect deliveries, although apparently even at the moment there is a cut-off time of 3pm. Helen Hayes suggested writing to Royal Mail's CEO and copying her in (and possibly local councillors) so that she (and they) get a feel for how many people have done this, and can use it in any campaign. Out of interest, apparently there was no requirement to consult residents in a case like this even before privatisation, and as Helen said, she was sure Royal Mail's lawyers would have made absolutely sure that they were acting legally. I wasn't taking notes, having stupidly forgotten to bring any paper with me, so apologies if any of the above is wrong, though I don't think it is. I had to leave slightly before the end of the meeting, so I don't know how it concluded.

oddlycurious Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Our views don't count because we're a small > number? Really? You want to go down that path? Logic is not their strong point ......

There is a picture of a kingfisher on some of the information boards in the park, and we were saying just the other day that we'd love to see one. Lucky you! We did see a wren in the wildlife garden, but not quite the same!!!

ianr Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > I have posted back the questionnaire > > Whose questionnaire, and how does it arrive? Mine came through the door with the information about the meeting. It was from the local Labour party, who have arranged the meeting with Helen Hayes on Tuesday. But in the latest SE22 magazine, James Barber has also asked people to contact him with their views.

And also the queues will surely be massive, as all the East Dulwich people will add on to the existing Peckham parcel collectors. They are bad enough already at the ED office. I'll be at the meeting. I have already sent my views via the pre-paid form which was with the information about the meeting.

Jocky Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sue Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I haven't read this thread, so apologies if > this > > post is off topic, but I came across it when I > did > > a search for "water meter", as there was a > thread > > last year around the time I changed to a meter, > > and I wanted to post on it but found this one. > > > > I have just received my bill. > > > > Last year it was ?399.34. > > > > This year it is ?192 but my account is actually > > ?32 in credit as I pay by direct debit. > > > > I have saved over ?200. > > > > ETA: Oh, and it was free to fit and absolutely > no > > hassle at all, and Thames Water were very > helpful > > (and put no pressure on me at all to change). > > > > I won't be going back to the old system, obv :) > > > > ETA: Maybe this is the thread I was thinking of > > ..... > > > Hi Sue, that's a really useful response. Can I ask > what the size / room numbers of your property is? Three bed terrace (one bedroom very small), through living room, through kitchen/diner. But I presently mostly live by myself, and since I got the meter I have been very careful about water use!

KidKruger Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The Castle does a consistently plain and passable > grated cheese sarnie - and at the price point > where there's no upset over the occasional crusty > corner. :))

JohnL Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > http://www.southlondonguide.co.uk/eastdulwich/best > eastdulrestaurants.htm > > "with a branch in Islington" > > Is there a connection then ? Oh, well spotted! http://www.memsaabislington.co.uk/ ETA: At first glance the menu looks very slightly different

Jules-and-Boo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > I'd rather have a garden bonfire than all the > traffic fumes. Yes, but sadly we don't have the choice of one or the other. So bonfire smoke is added to traffic fumes. Apart from the smell getting on washing etc, it is really bad for people with chest complaints. I was recently exposed to bonfire smoke for a couple of hours. I didn't notice any breathing difficulties at the time, but my asthma was very bad for several days afterwards.

I haven't read this thread, so apologies if this post is off topic, but I came across it when I did a search for "water meter", as there was a thread last year around the time I changed to a meter, and I wanted to post on it but found this one. I have just received my bill. Last year it was ?399.34. This year it is ?192 but my account is actually ?32 in credit as I pay by direct debit. I have saved over ?200. ETA: Oh, and it was free to fit and absolutely no hassle at all, and Thames Water were very helpful (and put no pressure on me at all to change). I won't be going back to the old system, obv :) ETA: Maybe this is the thread I was thinking of .....