Renata Hamvas

I've reported this to the Highways Team. Renata

Hi all, As part of the councils investment and infrastructure program all park lighting was surveyed for electrical and structural integrity and a program to replace columns in bad poor condition was drawn up. The most recent survey of the columns on Peckham Rye Common in Summer 2017 showed a significant degradation from five years ago with the recommendation to replace them within 6 to 12 months. The style of lamp columns that are being used as replacements provide significant benefits to the park and follow the council's lighting team's procedure for replacements in parks. They are hinged so can be repaired easily from the ground, it can be a problem on some park paths to bring in larger vehicles with elevated work platforms especially when grass verges or trees can be damaged. The lanterns used are much more energy efficient and can provide better directional lighting. That reduces the amount of light pollution and the impact that has on wildlife, it also improves the light levels where it is needed making the path feel safer. These columns have a longer design life of 50 to 70 years which will reduce the need to replace them as often in the future. The use of heritage style columns is usually limited to conservation areas and the upward glare they provide causes a real problem for animals such as bats, especially in the vicinity of mature trees. I hope this clarifies the necessity to replace the lamps. Renata

For a 4 year old you may wish to check if your first choice primary school or others you plan to apply to have places. These are probably not full time but would help your child to get to know local children and the other hours could be covered by a childminder or by using a wrap around service provider, the following is a local example. http://excelchildcareservices.com/wrap-around-service/ The other thing to be aware of that you will need to contact the admissions department of Southwark when you move as you will be moving address between primary application deadline and allocation date, your application will be considered as a late application. If you know your address in Dulwich and if you wish for assistance with this process please email me. Renata

The Brenchley Gardens Hall (On Brenchley Gardens), contact George 020 7564 1258. It's a cosy hall. Renata

Hi Calsug, there is a very active group, the Friends of Peckham Rye Park. http://www.peckhamryepark.org/friends-of-peckham-rye-park/ Renata

Hi lee, I'll look into this for you. Renata

Hi all, there have been major issues with drainage over the Rye, and this looks like one of the rain water drainage pipes to me. I will verify this and get back to you Thanks Renata

Hi Local Resident, I am sorry for your recent loss and the distress this has caused you. I have had a response from Sam Rees who is the manager of the Southwark Cemeteries. There are no new rules, nothing has changed in the 4 years since this burial area within Camberwell Old Cemetery was used for new burials. The regulations were set up in accordance with section 3 of the Communities Act, disabled access regulations and health and safety regulations. They were consulted on at the time and various stakeholder groups were involved in this. The way the area is set up allows you to have a headstone without a long wait and to long term have flowers/plants/other items on the gravel area in front of the headstone, but the rest is to be allowed to settle and allow to be covered in turf. Flowers and other memorials are left for at least 7 days elsewhere on the grave, in your case it was 11 days. Your funeral director should have explained this to you when you ticked the box to have your father buried in a lawned area rather than a memorialised area; what this meant in practice. It sounds like that you were not made aware of this when you signed the document. There are current updates in the policy being investigated. One thing that is being looked at is increasing the time that flowers and mermorials can be left on the grave and also that cemetery staff deal directly with families to explain the options rather than it being done by the funeral directors. I'm sorry that this is not going to undo your upsetting situation, but hopefully this will not be repeated for grieving families using this cemetery burial area in the future. Renata

I know applications are in for this year, but to point out there was actually an excess of primary school places in the area in 2017, so everyone got a place at a local primary school. If you live east of Peckham Rye dependent on whether you are closer to Nunhead Lane or Homestall Rd there are the usually considered contenders eg Heber, Goodrich, Fairlawn if HOP. There are other schools to consider too, Rye Oak if near Nunhead Lane, Hollydale (a good small Nunhead School that is often undersubscribed), Ivydale (expanded onto Stuart Road) and St Francesca Cabrini (around 25% places allocated on distance). If you don't get one of your higher choices on offer day you will be put on the waiting list for higer ranked choices and there is quite a lot of movement by September. Renata

Hi localresident I have contacted the Staff who manage Camberwell Old Cemetery in relation to the regulations with regard to flowers etc on the graves at the Wood Vale End of the Cemetery. I have not heard about this rule before. I will post back here when I get a response. Renata

Hi all, the reason this is happening is because of the shift in the Borough's population to the north of the Borough, more residents in the north and fewer in the south. The boundary changes were triggered by the Electoral Commission . The number of councillors in Southwark will remain the same, but there are smaller wards and extra wards in the north and wards reduced to 2 councillors and shifted boundaries/new wards in the South. The number of residents per councillor will be roughly the same borough wide. Dulwich has seen a significant drop in population, if there were to be 3 councillors per ward, then some of the wards, particularly Dulwich Village would need to be very large, hence the 2 Councillor Wards. In this area, Dulwich Village, Dulwich Hill, Dulwich Wood, Champion Hill and Peckham Rye will have two Councillors. Goose Green and Nunhead & Queens Rd will have three. Parts of the current Peckham Rye Ward west of Peckham Rye Park/Forest Hill will be within new wards Goose Green and Dulwich Hill, and Peckham Rye will gain the Southern stretch of Ivydale road and the roads off Ivydale from Nunhead Ward. Renata

I've signed this. Both the Thameslink and Victoria trains serve Nunhead, Peckham Rye and Denmark Hill. There is the ridiculous they've put a 20 and a 10 minute gap for someone to add in another train , with no back-up to the potential of more trains eg who would run this service, when it would start. I can see the one after the 20 minute being busier, therefore being delayed so you'll have eg a 25 minute gap and a 5 minute gap (This is going on Thameslink's usual reliability) Also weekends a frequent through London service is needed on Thameslink. I am still concerned about the Victoria service, I've not seen any feedback since the last consultation. This is all happening now as the new timetable for the very very overdue Thameslink 2000 project is being finalised. Renata

It doesn't matter, but if you get offered your first choice school you won't be on the waiting list for your second choice one.

Trampoline park such as this one in Stratford (overground than tube with Zip cards) or the Peckham Plex may have something more suitable than Shrek. Renata

Hi Bels, it's in here, http://www.southwark.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions/primary-admissions/applying-for-a-primary-school-place click on the top link and the information is in the brochure. For academies and faith schools you will need to contact the schools directly. For Lewisham/Lambeth schools look at their website. Renata

Focus Taekwondo have classes in Camberwell http://focustkd.com/classes/taekwondo-classes-in-south-london/

Hello all, it's the time to apply for Cleaner, Greener Safer and the Neighbourhoods Fund. Both are grants schemes that are from a pot of money that is allocated by the council to your Ward Councillors. Both Schemes close on Monday 23rd of October at Midday. Cleaner, Greener, Safer funding also includes some devolved highways funding. This means as well as "greening projects (trees, plants etc)," and things such as bike hangers, it also incorporates minor highway improvement schemes, such as improved pedestrian crossing points or traffic calming measures. This stream of funding is for capital projects, it's not for events. For more information, click here: http://www.2.southwark.gov.uk/info/200256/cleaner_greener_safer The Neighbourhoods Fund is for events for the Community. In the past it has provided funding eg to support the Friends of Peckham Rye Fete and dog show, bike rebuilding, football schemes for children, the Peckham and Nunhead Film Festival and events for our more senior residents. The maximum amount that can be applied for is ?5000. https://www.southwark.gov.uk/engagement-and-consultations/grants-and-funding/neighbourhoods-fund The funding will be decided by the wards for which the project is relevant, some of the larger projects will go across wards. It is a competitive two part process, we shortlist first and then decide what we can fund in a second stage. Don't worry if you don't know how much your CGS proposal will cost. Officers do a costing/feasibility study. Good Luck Renata

Southwark officers have come back to me and have confirmed that they are involved in trying to help this Gentleman too. Renata

I know a homeless charity did go out to see him yesterday afternoon.

Hi all, Open days are happening at the moment in all secondary schools. Try to see as many schools as you can, take your year 6 children with you. Do look across Borough borders too eg Deptford Green, Sydenham Girl's etc. Check admission criteria for each school (eg distance, faith lottery etc). More than one factor may need to be considered eg St Thomas the Apostle, faith and distance. In 2017 some places were offered on distance to non-faith applicants. Try and find six schools you like and place them in true order of preference on your CAF. You will be offered a place at the highest ranking school on your list that can offer you a place according to it's admissions criteria. This means if choices 2, 3 and 6 can offer you a place, you will be offered a place for your child at your second choice school. If they would be the dream schools for your child, It is OK to put a couple of favoured long shots at the top of your list. It will not prevent you being offered a place at a lower more certain choice. Please do not put down 6 unrealistic choices! Please remember the end of October deadline and ensure and medical information, sibling link etc is included in your application. Good luck! Renata

If he is who local agencies think he is, his name is John. Agencies are trying to sort him out accommodation as we speak. If he has moved location, please let me know. Thanks Renata

Thanks for posting this MRS Y. This is part of the improvements of facilities for our younger residents. There will be a new playroom for the under 5s (one O'clock club), improvements to the adventure playground and changing rooms for the sports teams. Renata

I shall report this. Thanks Renata

I have been making further enquiries today. It appears he is known to local agencies and social services. He was accommodated in a special unit in Nunhead. Renata

Hi Chocky, I'm currently making enquiries to see if Southwark is aware of this gentleman and if there is something that can be done to help him. Renata