Renata Hamvas

Hi Katgod, the dog issue is being looked into and some physical way to keep the area dop free is being investigated. The kind of thing being looked into at the moment is possibly hedging around the new play area. The tap issue is also being looked into, comments on where it should go welcome. As pointed out by Gavin above, the new equipment is designed for an older agegroup, KS2/3, ie up to 13. The funding source, Playbuilder, was specifically for this age group. The old 1 oclock club equipment has beeen reinstated and over 95% of the old fencing reused. This is the area still designed for pre-school/foundation stage, ie up to aged 5 (and is fenced). This equipment will be available for use even outside the opening hours of the 1 oclock club. An advantage of this set up is that parent plus toddler can be in the toddler area, while older sibling is closeby in the older children's play area. Renata

James, no real test of whether the humps fall within the guidelines can be done by simply driving over them! If it does appear that the contracters haven't installed all humps correctly, surely they should come back and correct their work? Mischief and brum, the humps are not going to be removed. Some of them may not be correct in shape/size and this is being checked. So sorry Whoosh, there are no plans to return to the pre-bump state. Renata

To confirm what is mentioned above, the published furthest distance place offered is that on offer day. There would be no other way of doing it as after that, as there is no later fixed date on which you could look at the furthest place offered. Places are still being offered now, and some will come available in September when a few children do not turn up, eg when a family has moved out of the area and not told Southwark or the school where they are holding a place. The last place offered data is just an indication of the area in which a child may be offered a place at a popular school. At the most popular community primaries, this distance is around 300m or so. This excludes siblings as families may have moved within the area or an elder child got in to a school when there was less pressure on places. The most important things are: use your 6 choices and be sensible, check admissions criteria. Make sure your application gets in on time, alot of the problems this year were with late applications. I strongly suggest that you apply online rather than by post (can't get lost in post and you can change your mind up to submission date). Don't panic if you are unhappy with the school offered, there is alot of movement of lists between March and September. Renata

I've had some preliminary feedback on this. The initial examination of the bumps indicates that some may not be correctly profiled, so a detailed survey of them is being carried out. Renata

To add to your correct list of bulges, Mrs Lotte, Fairlawn has bulged and St Antony's has too. The expansion of Lyndhurst to two forms from 1.5 is permanent, this years figures should give the a better idea about Lyndhurst than before as it's the first year of planned 2 form intake. The schools in the wider area that to my knowledge haven't bulged are: DKH, Rye Oak, Bellenden, Hollydale, Ivydale, St Francesca Cabrini and Langbourne. Bulges are decided once applications are in. This year, due to a large number of late applicants, extra bulges were put in after results day. Bulges are negotiated between Southwark and the schools. Renata

The booklet usually comes out in September. The furthest distance offered figure will be published for each school. Be aware though that this can change dramatically from year to year. Bulge classes also have a huge impact on these figure. In a year of bulge, a school has a much larger "catchment" area which can shrink down smaller than pre-bulge years for the next 3-4 years due to extra siblings. Also if a school bulges, neighbouring schools may have larger distance offered figures that year due to an increased pool of places in the vicinity. If you want help/advice about the street you live in an whther people have had problems with school places from that area Fidgetsmum, PM me. Renata

Where do you live Carollyn? Please PM me with details and I can make some suggestions and enquries. Does your daughter have any special talent eg is musical, sporty as some of the schools have specialities and do you practice any religion? The local schools tend to be popular and full, but there is always some movement at the end of school years. They have very different admissions criteria, eg if you live very near Charter (they admit on distance), you would go up high on their waiting list. You can go onto the waiting list of several schools. Renata

Sorry, I have been away for the last couple of weeks (even though I did manage to post on a couple of threads on the forum, I didn't have my usual internet access, and this is also why I didn't make the play area opening!) When I'm up and running again next week, I shall go down and look at the new facilities myself and at the issues raised above(the last time I looked in July, the area it wasn't yet completed). I don't know for sure in this case, but often when fencing or similar metalwork is removed, it is found to be corroded and it's not worth putting back (I'll check with Gavin, as he has probably raised an enquiry about this already). Renata

Hi Kabekay, the Peckham Rye Councillors tried to get the 63 extended over the hill to Honor Oak Park Station, to terminate at Brockley Rise, where the P12 turns round. This is a mere 3 bus stops extra (Cabrini School, Honor Oak Rec, Honor Oak Park Station). Valerie Shawcross was involved in the campaign. It would have been a useful link for those wanting to use the East London Line from Honor Oak Station, but was deemed too expensive by both TFL and Boris, and we were informed that residents can use the P4 and P12 instead!:-S The 400k is grant money secured by the council's Traffic department for traffic calming/crossing points etc and is not for public transport improvements. Renata

I'm sorry to hear about your phone theft, bjm, it must have been a great shock, especially at 5pm.:-$ This is the first such theft I have heard about in this area. There have been similar incidents in Peckham Rye Park. Renata

I have had confirmation from Council officers that these bumps are to be checked. Renata

Cuppa Tea, your son would go into year 1, ie would miss reception. Also be aware that primaries in this area tend to be full, so you would be relying on a child leaving after reception for your child to get a place (with a deferred entry, the place at your allocate primary wouldn't be kept open a full school year, so your child would lose their place). Renata

Easiest-no 12. Still a bendy bus route so easy to take buggies on/off Quickest-bus to Peckham Rye or Denmark Hill (dependent on which bit of ED you live in). Train to Victoria and then tube to Oxford Circus. The latter route is about half an hour quicker, but you'd find it easiest to have your baby in a sling for the transfer part and get help with the buggy down the stairs. Station staff will help if you ask them. Try and avoid traveling in peak rush hour if you can. Enjoy your day out in town! Renata

I have lodged the request already, but I will add in your suggestion, Penguin68 Renata

I have reported them to Council officers, so that they will be checked. There are fixed rules on the height/shape of humps, and they may not be up to spec. Renata

Just to clarify on the rules on this, if your child is 4 before the 1st September, ie due to start school this September, their entry can be deferred to the term after their 5th birthday. You can't, however, defer to September 2012 if you child has a summer birthday as this means they lose their allocated place at primary and are starting with a different school year (You would have to reapply for primary schools). Probably the latest reasonable time to start would be the start of Easter term for spring-summer birthday children. You need to inform the school that your child will have a deferred entry so that their place is held. Remember also, if you defer, as well as missing learning to read/write with the rest of their class, they will be missing out on the early social interaction with the peers they will be spending their primary years with. Renata

There is a se23 forum. SE23.com good luck! Renata

Hi Peckhamrose, an altered route for the 484 with it turning into Sainsbury's was examined as part of the consultation process last year. In the end it was decided not to introduce it as it would add extra time to complete each bus journey. For these assessments, they also look at how many extra fares would be collected, and in this case, I guess not many as people walk across the car park to the main road and so there wouldn't be many additional passenger. The current financial situation means that TFL are more likely to want to cut the length of bus routes rather than increase them even by a a short stretch. FYI Myself, Vikki and Gavin tried to get the 63 extended to Honor Oak Station. This would mean it being extended by 3 bus stops. This was costed at ?600,000 per annum (Humungous for the short distance:-S!). This means that extending the 484 by 1 bus stop would have a expense implication. It's not good to hear that since a new operator has taken over this service that it appear to be slipping:(. I will raise this with TFL. Keep me posted. Renata

Yes Medley! There will be consultation on this and when I know more I will post. Renata:)

jenniejenjen10 you could either paint or put stickers on with your house number so if it ends up in front of the wrong home, the occupants know where it should go! Some of the refuse lorries take the bins directly onto the back and very very occasionally the bin falls in and gets destroyed. if the blue bin you have is not the original but a new one, this is what may have happened. Renata

Hello everyone, the next big project on Forest Hill Rd is looking at the road between the junction with Colyton Rd and the border with Lewisham just over the top of the hill (I think this is the 400k mentioned above!). This road has issues with crossing points, junctions, parking, bottle necks and stretches with speeding. This is why no decision was taken about the traffic lights at the Forest Hill Rd/Colyton Rd junction as it's within the stretch that will be rejigged. As well as differing opinions on those lights and issues with rat-running to circumvent them, there are issues with the Brenchley Gardens and Wood Vale junctions and at the top of the hill by St Francesca Cabrini Primary School. Renata

Surrey Docks Farm is great for this age. Peckham Pulse has rafts and rascals in the trainer pool. Renata

To remind library users, the final library based consultation is tonight at the Peckham Library at 7-8pm. Users of ANY library can attend and give their opinion. Renata

Hi James, The reason why the co-mingling hasn't rolled out yet is that as I explained above, this will happen once the new Old Kent Road facility is up and running. I've very glad that you are so supportive of food waste recycling and co-mingling, particularly as Southwark had the 6th worth recycling rate in the country while your administration was in charge. We shall see with regard to co-mingled recycling and frequency. Large blue bins means greater capacity, and fewer vehicles on the road and therefore reduced emissions and running costs. As you well know, this administration, thanks to Central Government suffered a 36million cut to our grant. Savings need to be found on all fronts. The introduction of food recycling means less going to landfill and lower costs. Co-mingled recycling is easier for residents, meaning a greater likelihood of more being recycled. I think this adminstration has acted very quickly to address the appalling recycling rate we inherited. We've only been in office for one year, but already we have carried out a successful pilot on food recycling and co-mingled dry recyclables. Co-mingling is due to be rolled out in October, and I'm delighted that recycling in the pilot areas has increased by nearly 2/3 from 33% to 53-54%. Renata

This is the first year when primary schools are taking in one main primary intake in September. In previous years, most primary schools in Southwark had two intakes, September (Sept-Feb birthdays) and January (March to August birthdays). Some local authorities split their intake into three, and children joined term by term. As your child has a June birthday, she legally not required to start school until Easter. This means if you wish your daughter could start school in January and stay in Nursery until then, or go part time as you are thinking of doing. As this is the first year, I'm not really sure how schools/parents are going to respond to this. Reception is the linking year between nursery and KS1 it forms part of Early years with Nursery, so classes tend to have a nursery nurse plus teacher. For those of you with boys. Boys often don't develop pencil control (development of wrist muscle control) until they are close to aged 5 (around 9 months later than girls, I've been told by a Head of Early Years). So don't worry if your summer birthday son can't write his name and draw recognisable illustrations. This is a new national policy. Renata