James Barber

Tragic. Local Police teams and local councillors are ging to meet to discuss road safety and agree a local action plan. WE all hope for it to be announced at the next Dulwich Community Council.

Hi jimmyraj, My interest is to ensure we have enough local school places. This proposed school will relieve pressure on East Dulwich schools - especially Goose Green School. The option Southwark Council is pushing I believe is not ideal for the area or the school. It risks Dulwich Hamlet not being the provider.

Hi rahrahrah, I agree with you generally. Classic in the mews along Underhill Road next to junction with Barry Road. They've all been designed with fake drives to pretend they have private parking. But allowing new homes to be built that will require parking, have no direct on street parking and no off street parking can only possibly lead to more parking stress. Hi BrandNewGuy, Great idea but take-up is never 100% and some will always own a car. So allowing this development will result in more parking stress. If the area had controlled parking then these homes could be formally declared car free and not allowed to have permits. But residents of East Dulwich have mad it clear they don't want to live in such an area. I think this planning application will be a really useful litmus test. If it is granted then it's clear we'll need a Neighbourhood Plan which brings extra powers to defend the areas suburban fabric and feel.

Hi Louisa, No I don't have any intel on this other than Waitrose have told me not them. The site would cause serious local problems: http://planningonline.southwark.gov.uk/AcolNetCGI.exe?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPNAME=Root.PgeResultDetail&TheSystemkey=9550159 The shop may or may not generate a lot of trips. For example a Magestic wine warehouse probably wouldnt be an issue as they never seem that busy. A popular supermarket chain could generate a lot of trips and over flow parking issues to the surrounding area atthe same time the leisure centre does - especially Saturdays. But this application is to add 6 x 1 bed flats and 6 x 2 bed flats with no on-site car parking, East Dulwihc Road has no parking for some way both sides. So clearly anyone with a car wanting to live in one of these homes will have to parking on side streets causing even more parking stress than already exisits. If you think this is a bad ideal please do email the case officer - [email protected] and cc me please. East Dulwich councillors have asked that this application be decided by a planning committee so all the issues can be fully aired in public.

Hi bcam, P68, Southwark Council try and present traffic/speed count data on its website: http://maps.southwark.gov.uk/connect/index.jsp?tooltip=yes I say try because I've often had to chase for counts to be added. Anyway, what I find curious is not traffic/speed counts for the section of road you've highlighted. We can see a cluster of injuries from people crossing Lordship Lane where it meets Heber Road and also Townley and Crystal Palace / Landells - www.crashmap.co.uk. I'm sure speed will play a part in these crashes. I'll ask if council officials have any or plan to collect any. Some vehicles do appear to be travelling well over 30mph but I'm a terrible judge of speed.

Another interesting idea is from Professor Dan Cable. Thinking about really positive experiences - Reflected Best Self Ever. Research so far solely at new starters and getting them to think about when they're at their best. Even just doing this 15minutes once during the induction phase at a new job has significant effects on productivity, retention and job satisfaction. It's likely that asking your child to think about when they're at their best will leave them in a positive frame of mind for starting school.

Hi unlurked, The current council administration led by Southwark Labour removed local planning committees and they all now meet in Tooley Street. So the planning inspectorate will have been told Tooley Street is where it will not cost any money to host and the planning officers are all there. I've yet to see a Planning appeal take place at any time other than the normal working day. They've all come from Bristol in the past with commensurate logistic issues.

This afternoon the junction will reopen. Hooray. Shortly afterwards the bus diversions should stop and everythnig back to normal.

Hi chauveau, It's with Father Gerry and the three interested cinema companies. I'll ask them all if their is anything they'd be happy to make public. Suspect they wont have though.

Cash is a useful emergency way of accessing buses. It makes buses more reliable for the user. I've helped pay for someone's cash bus journey late at night when their Oyster card didnt work rather than see them turned away. When my kids are a little older I'd expect them to idenepentaly travel by bus, but kids regularly lose things, having that emergency cash backup to access buses is reassuring. Not having it and I'd be tempted to drive and collect them for my own peace of mind. But most imporatnly do repsond to thep ublic consultaton. While it's nice to share views here they wont influence the final decision by TfL.

That's a bit disengenuous Renata. Southwark Labour led Council have to put a public request out for a provider to come forward to provide a new school at this site. It could be anybody - unusual religious group, anyone. Your administration is positively discouraging Dulwic Hamlet to take the free school approach where we could all guarantee Dulwich Hamlet would be the school provider. So the former Southwark Labour approach makes drumming up families lending their support unnecessary but risks an educational provider other than Dulwich Hamlet. On this basis are you really saying families should contact Labour ward councillors who are not proposing or supporting Dulwich Hamlet opening a free schoo? Equally are you suggesitng Dulwich Hamlet should rely on Labour ward councillors to drum up support for an apporahc they dont agree with?

Hi kittysailing, Yes, My understanding is September 2015 first admissions. Not clear if they'll 'only' start with reception or reception and Year 1. Hi Pugwash, Thanks for that bit of history. Hi Jack Kelly, No poster yet. But I'm sure it's on the way.

Hi JADED, 25 August I was told by council officers that they will review Plough Lane around all the issues you've highlighted. I'd be amazed if a council officer was directing Landells Road resident to use Plough Lane as suggested. Do you have a name you can email or PM of who it is alleged has suggested this?

DTZ, property agents for the Department of Education Educational Funding Agency, held site visits in East Dulwich last week to review the list of 10 possible sites to base a new local primary school at. The hospital site is still our preferred site. But all possible options have to considered.

So far 40 families have offered support for the Dulwich Hamlet to add a second school into the Bellenden School site. But ideally they'd have over 80. If you live within 800m of the proposed site please do contact them offering your support and hope to send your child there. They'll need you name, email address, home postcode, date of birth of the child/children who would expect to join reception Sept 2015 or 2016. Their email address is [email protected] and please do CC me to keep tracks of how they're doing so I can report back here.

Thanks Alex K, Good on them for publishing it. But I was especially annoyed that they printed something I knew to be wrong and they hadn't even had the nous to contact me before writing such rubbish.

Please beware a company that is causing me concern operationg locally - Utility Bill Saver. If you are approached by them please let me know. I dont;t think I can say more than that.

Latest update is "The repairs to the gas mains on Lordship Lane have been completed. The reinstatement will begin on Friday. COncrete will require a 5 day curing period before wearing course and road marking can be replaced. SGN expect to have the road open by end of the day on Frida 30th Aug." Begs the questions why the concrete isnt poured today. And then finish on Wednesday two days earlier than currently Southwatk Council expect SGN to achieve. I've asked.

It seems clearly something is wrong. The data is for all bus lane infringements on borough roads - so excludes TfL controlled roads such as Old Kent Road, Borough High street, etc. But 978 out of 1,176 for Lordship Lane with four other locations outside our patch only having 198 tickets. Either they're singling out our area for enforcement - which either means we have far more law breakers in the area (a rather unlikely situation as we have the lowest crime rates in Southwark) or that the bus lanes cause confusion and it's easy to issue tickets. The reporter spoke to me in confidence earlier in the week. It's a good bit of journalism that apparently took months to extract from the council. Southwark FOI now also have the habit of foreworking the press team so they can prepare lines of defence. That seems debious to me. The next step is to ask when these tickets are issued - do they happen close to the start of bus lane operation.How many are contested, etc. implying they werent clear. I've already started asking these questions.

Hi David, My understanding was that the old bellenden school was felt unsuitable and a new 1 form entry school was built very nearby. The rational being that modernising the old school buildings woukd be more expensive. Times change and sites being so limited the old building would be made to work but modernised.

I've just been told: " Update on gas leak. Works continued over night at the above location but unfortunately due to position of the main additional excavations have taken place in Lordship Lane. For SGN to carryout repairs on the 30in main they have asked TFL to switch out the pedestrian lights on site this afternoon, Lordship Lane at the junction with East Dulwich Grove will then have temp 2 way lights in place with East Dulwich Grove remaining closed. I have been told these new restrictions should be in place by late this afternoon, where works will continue again through the night. I will update you all when more information becomes available. Regards Network Co-ordinator "

Hi catma, Consultations would take place about the principle to obtain any Dept of Education funding. Various council decision making processes you can respond to - sign-up for council email system to be prodded. If any physical changes were propose then the planning application would be consulted upon and traffic would be included. But it used to be a school site so in planning terms it would be hard to resist it obtaining planning permission. Currently community groups use the site and will have to move. I'd be amazed if they're not assisted with any move.

Hi Jenny, I'll PM you as not ideal to discuss your personal circumstances on an open forum. Regards james.

Hi worldwiser, Good for you. I also have some casework from residents about Faviorute Chicken with environmental officers visiting them about the noisy extractor fan. Foxtons. Please do have a chat with them. If they don't fix it and it's causing you a nuisance tell me and I will work to get it fixed. We've had a number of such successes over the years along Lordship Lane for residents.

Hi notthetvdietician, Families that are close to the site. Any family could lend their support but for such a historically popular school at Dulwich Hamlet two form entry in more densely populated area than the centre of Dulwich Village then we can use other precendets for similar popular schools such as Heber School. For the last few years Heber School, which is Good rather than Dulwich Hamlets Outstanding, has had a catchment area of around 450m. Hope that helps. If they apply as a free school and had a parents support committee then they could be given preference in any admissions process. Hope that answers your question.