James Barber

Hi northlondoner, That's a tricky one because different households pay different amounts depending the banding of the property which is related to the properties sale value a couple of decades ago. Also some households get coujcil tax discount, some pay no council tax, etc. regards james.

Hi mynamehere, No, not all streets are cleaned to exactly the same standard. Quiet residential streets wouldnt need as much attention as busy shopping streets. Markets seem to generate the most waste but really its because normal shops and restaurants have to have trade waste contracts but market stalls don't. also I suspect some deviation depending on which person is cleaning and how thorough or energetic they are. Southwark also have some red routes where Transport for London are responsible with theri own regime. Saying all that all residentials streets should be litter picked every other day and swept every four weeks....unles syou know different in which case escalate to a local councillor. Proving it is tricky but dated photos are brilliant for this I've found. Regards james.

Hi northlondoner, It's part of the ?70.6m spent this financial year spent of Environment & Leisure. http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200110/council_budgets_and_spending/2478/budget_proposals_for_201213/1 Regards james.

Hi Louisa, The planning application didn't get to the stage where it took into account supporters or objectors. It fell as it didn't meet even basic rules for building things.

Hi northlondonder, The cleanliness of our streets is largely a political decision made by the largest group of councillors with some operational nous. The current administration has decided to focus our council tax (20% of council budgets), fees and charges (5%) and grant from central governemnt (75% of council main budget funds) on things other than street cleaning. But you help decide on councillors next in 2014. o get involved, campaign but boycotting council tax just makes the pot smaller to fund things from and leads to you breaking the law.

Hi Gina, No stirkes that i'm aware of. The cleaning regime the council administration decided upon was litter picking every other day and sweeping one a month. I've reported instances where residents have taken pictures of litter not moving for a numbers of days several weeks to prove no litter picking was taking place. In the first instance email [email protected] or escalate the issue by emailing me. Hi bloonoo, I've reported the lose paving slab for you. If you spot another similar issue either call 020 7525 2000 or also email [email protected]. If nothing happens please do email me so I can escalate and find why the process failed.

It seems extremely likely the allegations are true - so many seperate examples coming out and the Police have made it clear they think the evidence is extremely compelling. So it happened almost openly in the BBC. Many from then have said it was an open secret. So if the culture allowed it to happen with one star it is very likely other stars and people with influence have done similar. Others have now made allegations about ITV, etc. So my hope is that the victims get some sort of closure finally. to have that over their lives is appalling. That other instances involving other perpetrators are found and prosecuted. Rape of children and other abusive acts need to be exposed and criminals prosecuted wherever possible.

Hi Tom, That land is owned by Southwark Council but leased to Dulwich Hamlets Football Club. The lease can only be taken back from DHFC if they offer it back or the council has a firm use for it. DHFC applied for develope this land for a new football stadium as the lease on their current one was coming to an end. Lots of interest in building on the current stadium for housing. It took a real determined effort from the community to stop this set of dominos. To create suggested gardens would be fab but take significant money and political will from ward councillors - its South Camberwell ward. One of the ward councillors is [email protected] the council leader. Hope this helps give some context Tom. I'd suggest you create a Friends of Green Dale to develop ideas for the site and get it included in the Area Action Plan for the area which if you like is the development guide.

Where did it take place and was it reported. CCTV cameras might have caught this. Starts with ketchup and has the potential to become worse objects.

Today by chance I tried exactly what EJTH suggested and worked a treat. I also have to catch the 08.15 on school run days I cover and very stressful.

Hi Fred, Before I get officers to spend time and money responding to this - what is the purpose of this request? Regards james.

M&S were planning on being a tenant of an expanded shop owned and developed by the freeholder. The freeholder has clearly applied for something that fundamentally was floored - they didnt own all the land or access rights they assumed they did and the flats would have breached H&S laws by requiring occupiers to access via a service yard. I don;t think M&S can be blamed for such errors. I also doubt the freeholder will want a shop empty for any period of time and I believe Waitrose would happilly occupy the shop unit as is and I'd be surprised if Iceland wouldnt happily roll on their tenancy if the rent was hiked.

Hi sedm, The lease will mean you would need to contribute a quarter of any costs incurred - even if you flat doesnt have electrics and windows and other do. I would ascertain whether 3/4 flats are leasehold and if they are consider buying the freehold. You'd then all be master of your own destiny and not reliant on Southwark COuncil. Councils make a loss on managing such freeholds and therefore minimise the efforts they make - not good for you long term.

Blue cycle paths are only used where its parts of the Cycle Superhighway. Blue is the chosen colour in Copenhagen as the tarmac seems to keep its colour better than red or green apparently. AS its not cycle superhighway the only colour it would be is red. Council officials decided to rigidly follow the street design guide. Hence the block paving which is more expensive and the minimalists i.e. impossible to spot cycle logos. Hopefully common sense will preval but I fear ward councillors there are happy with things as they are and collissions will be required.

Debatable point Alex K.

SGN have worked through the night - sorry to those living close by but better that than a gas explosion! They pin-pointed the leak and are repaired the joint this morning. Reinstatement is underway with quick drying concrete (its not as long lasting but should last a number of years) and should be completed by lunch time Friday. So circa 20 hours left before its fully reopened.

I've had it confirmed -= definatly urine. All the local taxi firms have been visited to request this practice stop. It hasnt so they'll be revisited. After that it would become anti social behaviour typoe orders or criminals offences.

Hi Alex K, East dulwich councillors have allocated ?10,000 from our Cleaner, Green, Safer capital pot to provide great lighting there. Its due to complete during October. The floor lighting you're talknig about was isntalled about 8-10 years ago. It was never handed over to the council lighting people and didnt have a seperate maintenance plan. Floor lights are especially prone to problems having to take weight and harder ot keep dry.

I'm amazed ward councillors supported a scheme consulted on during August. Not even the whole of August but only the latter half.

30" gas mains leaking gas - emergency repairs.

Southern Gas have to undertake excavations junction of Lordship Lane with Goose Green roundabout - they have a 30" gas mains leaking there. To undertake the works they need to erect 3-way traffic lights on Goose Green roundabout. It will cause chaos. I'd recommend avoiding that area for a while. I've not been told when they'd expect the works to finish.

I can confirm that the 'M&S' planning application to extend the current Iceland store and add 8 flats above it had been withdrawn. This doesnt mean they wont have a second attempt but it does mean the application was so flawed that they needto start again.

Decisions taken to litter pick supposedly every other day and sweep our street once a month. Several instance residents have proven neither has been taking place. Added to this a decision to reduce temp staff reported on the books as contractors. This was turned in a political football - 'wasteful council employing fat cat contractors' type of argument. In Autumn we used to supplement resources using temps to help with leaf falls. The council administration has decided as its missed its targets on street detritus to further slacken the targets. Southwark no longer feels one of the cleanest boroughs in London.

Last I heard they're immensely popular with a waiting list. But I've never seen a bike being taken out or parked in one of them.

Hi Tamer, Belvoir Road is in College Ward I believe but perhaps the following would help you progress things: Making streets one-ways usually result in vehicles going much faster along them - they don't have to concern themselves with vehicles coming the other way. So it might reduce the volume of cars but it will displace the journeys onto longer routes via other roads - net effect more miles driven in your area and at great speeds. So assuming that isnt what you and your neighbours would want then the other options are more effective speed calming measures. From memory you have speed cushions that many types of vehicles can ignore. So full width sinusoidal speed humps would have more effect as would chicanes. You could apply for measures via the Cleaner, Greener, Safer scheme where your local ocuncillors have these days around ?80,000 pa for capital measures - sinusoial full road width humps typically costs ?1,800 each and are needed ever 50-70m. To prove a need a traffic count would normally be required. From Southwark's online mapping system I cant see any recorded traffic counts. So any CGS applicaiton would need to include this OR do you own traffic count. Hope this helps.