James Barber

hi Alex K, I know you VERY keen for a reponse from me. So first thought is the government has given advice about clearing the path outside homes - The Snow Code: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_191868 I've another angle I'll come to you tomorrow on.

The whole academy experiment is just that. No one knows whether it will serve children well or not. It's a hunch by the Secretary of state for Education. Sadly one of the compromises of the coalition. I can confirm I checked earlier whether Southwark council is promoting schools to convery to academies - after an email query earlier today. It is NOT. The council is weirdly staying neutral. I certianly don't feel neutral on this. Even local independent schools partake of an equivalent to Ofsted for private schools. The academy concept is the antithesis of what I believe in as a Lib Dem. It is schools being seperated from local political input and parent power and reporting in some manner to the national Dept of Education. The exact opposite of localism and public accounability. Even if schools convert I'd be amazed if they survive ANY change of national government. Its not as if any parents are going to vehemently defend schools they have less to zero influence over and that Ofsted aren't reporting on.

What's particularly gratifying is that council School Improvement Partners (council officers) predicted this from the work they'd been doing with the school. I met the head last year and she impressed me. Great result for all the hard work of kids, parents, governors, teachers, support staff, council officers and the head and her management team.

Hi H&M, The council officer who leads this is called Tim Walker - [email protected] Lovely chap. Let him know if you have any other locations that you think would benefit from a Car Club car. Hi Sue, Lots of consultation took place at the Dulwich Community Council. Notices in newspapers and on lamp posts. I also twice posted a map of East Duwlich with where they were proposed to go. Great scheme that I'm proud started under a Lib Dem with over 6,000 members so far in Southwark. East Dulwich has extra density of them as we think really does help give people alternatives to owning their own car.

Hi spanglysteve, I believe the Rye Lane works are to completely resurface it after all the gas and water works replacing over century old pipes. So a few weeks time should see the end of roadworks for at least several years on this road. In fact the council could issue a notice 58 to block any works for two years. At which point lane rental comes into play in Sotuhwark which should act as a strong disincentive to road works. With the current state of the road this will be a great finish to all those years of tribulations. Regards james.

Camberwell Pool reopens after lots of renovations 28 February. Lyndhurst School is having ?5m spent modernising it. Butterfly Tennis club. South London Gallery. Clearly its not East Dulwich but Camberwell also has lots going for it.

Spot on Pickle. Kidkruger- see attached picture. Talking to local Police it has significantly helped reduced the problem of missing and lost children. Great for the kids and families. I've only known this feeling of dread once but unforgettable - amazing how long 10 minutes can be in slow motion. Helpful for the Police as you can imagine the numbers of Police officers taken from other Policing duties when a child goes missing.

Hi malleymoo, God, that junction having road works makes me feel sick. It was less than a year ago that young girl died. I've contacted the two leading council managers to ask: - for assurance that pedestrian phase will be part of any temporary traffic lights. - that the works be deferred until half term or Easter school holidays. - that if the works proceed during term time lollypop people be employed by the utility to maximise safety for kids.

Even with the change of title my heart sank on reading this posts title. How incredibly terrifying. Dulwich Park has a missing children post in it and the Police say it has hugely reduced missing children call outs which must mean a lot less stress for kids and parents. I don't remember seeing this is Peckham Rye. I'll ask if one can be installed for Peckham Rye park.

Hi Emily, Contextual Value Added - is a "score which measures the progress made by pupils from the end of KS1 to the end of KS2 using their test results. It takes into account the varying starting points of each pupil?s KS1 test results, and also adjusts for factors which are outside a school?s control (such as gender, mobility and levels of deprivation) that have been observed to impact on pupil results" I'm not aware of the great results from the previous head you talk about. Can you point me to those please. I'm hoping to have the last 3 years KS1 results today and will post them here. The slur you've mentioned sounds like a terrible misunderstanding which with temperatures rising is more likely to happen. That temperature rising is partly from people on this forum asking for the heads head. All the professional advice is she is doing a good job for the kids. So the only way she will leave is through being wrongfully sacked - which would cost the school many hundreds of thousands of pounds for illegal wrongful dismissal. As this would be against any councils advice or normal employment actions the governors might be personally liable. How would the school or governors pay for this. OR the head is put under so much pressure and can quote so much professional back-up that she could choose to leave and claim contributory dismissal and again the school would be financially wiped out. Posting on this forum can have much higher stakes than anyone bargains for and the unintended consequences for local kids and families attending this school could be catastrophic. The latest parent governors meeting I believe had people stating the results were going down when all the expert advice (including that purchased externally by the governors) is saying their is no such clear overal picture. The number of parents attending was much higher than usual at I understand 60 attended covering 713 children on the school roll. BUT a public meeting to go through the schools performance is going to take place 1 March. I would encourage people to attend to have the whole story explained and ask questions.

Hi Terry Thomas esq, I can see this being tricky to resolve. If some of the uncontrolled parking is removed and replaced by loading/unloading bay/s then suspect will always be full of shop customers parking. I'll seek officer advice about what they think can be done.

Many thanks for all the kinds words. This is one piece of mantle furniture you definitely wont see at the new boot sale!

I've hada query from Japanese telly about whether I know of any royal wedding street parties. I've not found out about any yet....unless you know better.....in which case Japanese telly beckons.

I've asked for a list of all the properties added in December - without any reference or notice ot councillors - but after two days have'nt received such a list. Sadly it all feels rather shambolic. NB. and I do think the principle good just the execution is the problem.

Hi Emily, I'm afraid I don't know the circumstances of what has happened to a democratically elected parent governor you've referred to. I can see that the KS2 value added has for the last 3 years indicated that Goodrich is doing really well with its KS2 results. Clearly that's not the total story but its results are not declining it value added has gone up. That's what the independent expert brought in by the governors is saying and what the council expert is saying. That's what other heads are telling me. But as I've said before I think other non results issues need to be worked on quickly. I'd be really greatful Emily to have a private chat to talk through all the issues you've obviously got with the school so I can try and understand what else you feel is going on. I'm also sorry if my conclusion that some parents are frustrated the school isn't classified yet as Outstanding or KS2 results are above the national or London average. But the value added for the intake means its doing really well. Hope we can arrange a private chat.

It's an excellent start by Nick Clegg.

Hi Michael, Why not pop over to them when they're in and ask if they can point the light more downwards. If they wont or get shirty email me and we can see how else to approach this.

Goodrich School is holding a parents meeting 1 March 6.30-8.30pm. I believe the head and others will present, discuss and answer questinos about how the school is doing. Fingers crossed I can attend.

I think Penguin68 is spot on. Lets wait until all the facts come out later. Really depressing the way young people are being demonised - and the savagery of the attack is shocking. But we never hear or notice the well behaved kids. The kids who are careres looking after parents who aren't well.

Hi Amelie, First step is getting businesses to turn of their lighting in the middle of the night. Whenever I've seen planning applications I've endeavoured to ensure hat any shop front lighting is on a timer to go of at 10pm but they on;ly rare come up. Street lgihting all having blinkers. Do you know how much they cost and which street you'd like to propose a trial on?

Hi apples, Sorry for mixing a reply to your post and other posts up into one set of responses. Goodrich will be receiving an extra ?58,050 pa of Pupil Premium from September.

Hi Penguin68, Majority of planning applications are decided by council plannin officers under delegated powers and not councillors(politicians). Decicions are taken by councillors where 3 or more objections have been made or building on Metropolitan Open Land (parks) involved or if a councillor requests a 'call-in' and the planning committee chair agrees to this.

Hi Ridgley, The officers report stated they could call into the call centre to arrange a home visit IF they are not mobile OR one of the two new effectively super housing offices - Tooley Street and an as yet to be found new Peckham office OR visit one of the One Stop Shops in Rotherhithe or Walworth Road. This isn't something the Lib Dems would chose to do as we're all for localism. Regards james.

Hi monica, I'd not heard that rumour. The council is proposing to close all area housing offices one of which is based no East Dulwich Road and centralise all such fac to face queries onto the internet and a new council housing call centre. What would become of the building I'm not sure and its a different building to the fostering one. I'll try and find out what;s planned for both building. This wont be a quick query.

That is really kind of you both. I've never received an award for anything before and have been surprised how very chuffed I feel to be recognised by my peers. But the work I do on the EDF does generate a lot of casework and without the myriad of officers answering and helping with queries and problems it wouldn't really work. So I owe them a big thanks as well as everyone trusting me to try helping them in the first place.