James Barber

Ivy House and Community Asset is a red herring wrt to this Prettys Greengrocer situation. Community asset application needs to show it would "further social wellbeing or social interests of the local community (e.g. cultural , recreational or sporting)" direct quotes from council officials. It sounds like the new owner is trying to give the impression hey can force the current people out but that they legally probably can't. I had this attempted on me years ago when I live on Brixton hill is a flat. If the new owner is successful they believe they'll add significant value to their new property. Most people will happilly use whatever new shop is installed there so the new owner is probably right. The key for all of us is to encourage Prettys to get proper advice and then tell us how we can help support them. I will also contact them directly and happilly obtain a letter making it clear that this unit is a shop unit and very unlikely to be granted any change of use to a cafe etc.

Hi buggie, I share your concerns. Parents are also tempted to return them to school because they can't take so much un planned holiday from workplaces. Equally schools have to contend with parents taking children out of school for family holidays during term times. It's really hard for teachers to making lesson plans under such circumstances. It's also disruptive and holds the majority back if work has to be repeated due to fellow pupil absences. The schools pupil absence rate was (as of 11/12/13) 6.1% vs. UK average of 4.8%. But the proportion with 38 half days or more of abesences over 2 terms was 6.6% for the school vs. UK av. of 3.6%. So the school clearly has a problem it is rightly trying to fix. http://www.education.gov.uk/cgi-bin/schools/performance/school.pl?urn=100790&superview=pri Looking at other local schools such as Heber, Goose Green, Dog Kennel Hill, Dulwich Hamlet they don't perform better than the UK averages. So I applaud the school trying to fix this problem but hope they apply their new rules thoughtfully. Let hope it helps more children who should be in school attend school. So it appears that the problem they're trying to fix is restricted to a tiny minority - but I'm not an expert around this subject.

I don't think this was our Crystal Palace Road. Every year East Dulwich councillors allocate money for a crime prevention fund. 2012 local Police asked and we provided a thermal imaging camera. Two reasons. One when children are lost it is much quicker for the police to use this themal camera to try and find them. Two, to proactively find cannabis factories which generally are associated with organised crime. Only a fool would set a factory up in the Dulwich area now...

Hi Elliana, This junction is the boundary between four wards including East Dulwich ward. We've tried several times since 2006 to get these lights timed for normal humans rather than Olympians. The last time they were reviewed was 18months ago and 1second was apparently added. Still needs Olympic 100m sprint to cross in green man time. I'm a fast 6'4" and can't cross in the green man time allowed. The traffic engineers response is that people have some time after the green man light stops for pedestrians before vehicles are given a green light to proceed. You may have experienced the timed crossings where you get a count down for this post green man phase. Allowing for the green man time and the post green man time does allow sufficient time for people to cross - it just feel really stressful not having a green man illuminated. Has my explanation made sense?

Hi BNG, I agree. Another less than perfect job (second attempt at this sentence!).

Hi Ossa, Can you please email me a copy of the letter and I will check with Southwark.

Hi Ossa, I think this request is about reducing discretionary absences rather than sick children. Clearly the school feels they need to work on such absences having this rule will be designed to encourage parents to ensure their children are at school.

I've received this update about London Birdge station: " First redeveloped platforms at London Bridge station come into use this March The first two new platforms open at London Bridge (14 and 15) with new longer and wider canopies to protect passengers from the rain. As the two new platforms open, other platforms (12 and 13) close for redevelopment. We?ll continue to do this throughout the development until all 15 new platforms are rebuilt. This will lead to a change in walking routes around the station concourse used by Southern passengers. The new platforms will initially be narrowed to allow construction work in surrounding areas. Crowd management systems will initially be required to ensure the safe operation of these new narrower platforms. To make this change there will be a short service change with some Southern services from Friday 28 to Sunday 31st March. During this period there will be a reduced Southern service in operation. "

These works are to store water in torrential weather and release it gradually from parks rather than overwhelming local drains. From memory they are propsoed for Brockwell, Belair and Dulwich Parks. Even with cleared drains stormy weather soon blows leaves etc around and blocks drains. The last and this government have devolved such flood alleviation responsiblity to local councils and provided the money to undertake these works - Thames Water I believe are also contributing. Alleyn's school has such works to stop flooding of residential Lordship Lane/Playfield Crescent properties. From the parks perspective the odd week they'll be affecxted once every decade or so. Children will have fun running up and down the earth mounds - which is almost exactly how the naturalistic play movement build their playgrounds.

Hi unlurked, The problem is very non standard. The Southwark Council processes are ok for standard problems but rarely sort this sort of thing out. It wasn't cheap vote whatever it was just a wish to kill a problem quickly minimising the effort all round. Clearly I've failed in this desire!

I've voted.

Email me and I will try and get this fixed

Hi Otta, I would be the same space as Heber and Goose Green schools.

Hi mrnzjac, Please see attached traffic light timings for this junction. To get this changed would require the junction to be reassessed. It's located in South Camberwell ward so you'd need to approached councillors Stephen Govier [email protected] or Vernoica Ward [email protected] or Peter John [email protected]

Hi vito, I would suggested contact the local newspapers. They'll then contact the press officers for UKPN and an extra possibly more detailed look will be taken at the problem. Southwark News 020 7231 5258 South London Press 020 8835 9707 If that doesn;t work let me know - I've some other ideas which would take much longer.

Hi davidh, This is the first edition of hopefully many to come over the next few years. It was compiled by local East Dulwich resident in their spare time while working 12 hour days. They've done a brilliant job and will of course ensure the odd missing shop is included in the next run. Would you like to help them?

Hi David, You should start to see these maps appear in local indie shops.

Almost all East Dulwich residents will be served by the BT Dulwich exchange on Lordship Lane just south of the junction with Court Lane.

Hi JOHNNYBOY, The Local Studies Library - behind the John Harvard Library on Borough High Street should have such photos.

Please see attached map of local independent shops. I helped in a tiny way but the hard work was done by two local residents in their spare time. Amazing effort to support their/our local shops.

Hi edanna, The Met sometimes put on property viewing but usually the really valuable items they've recovered. I'll PM you.

I'm sorry worldwiser but sending all right turning along Zenoria/Oxanian is a non starter. It's bad enough that right turinng traffic from EDG is sent along Matham Grove.

hi worldwiser, This was consdiered but to signliase that junction you'd have to have two dedicated southbound lanes and northbound lanes. That would mean no parking from Goose Green south until after the bus stop. That section of Lordship Lane would feel more like a dual carriage way. I'm hopeful that with making Lordship Lane 20mph earlier this year and these works making East Dulwich Grove 20mph that crossing this junciton will feel safer.

Hi worldwide, No, the eastern edge of the works is the junction of Matham Grove with East Dulwich Grove. For several years this issue was investigated. The best option found so far has been a formal crossing of Lordship Lane next to that junction. It's helped but hasn't solved the problem by putting breaks I to the traffic flow for people to cross. The raised entry treatment needs repairing. What would you propose?

Hi born again, They've also given Southwark very large sums to expand existing council schools this year from memory ?12.5m this year alone.