James Barber

Hi Ridgley, I'm afraid Oakhurst Grove and Kelmore Grove are in Peckham Rye ward. I used to cycle along these a lot and didn't seem that dim but I'll try and make a point of taking a look this weekend. Regards james.

Hi PeckhamRose, That was why differential pricing of garage rents was proposed - so those areas with more demand would see higher charges to reflect that demand and areas with lower demand would see lower charges to see all the garages used. +50% without recognising different levels of demand across Southwark. Perhaps concern that some areas would have seen even steeper rises to raise the revenue the administration is looking for. Your point about advertising garages at current rent levels - you make a good point but I suspect this might be due to when copy had to be submitted for publication rather than something more sinister. Also, until its gone through proper consultation process these new rates aren't final.

Hi Ridgley, Which backs streets are you thinking of? The only East Dulwich wards without modern lighting are Dunstans, Crystal Palace and Friern Roads which the East Dulwich councillors have approved the final devolved lighting spend and should be fully completed by March. Regards james.

Hi Carrie, I should explain that the meeting included Cllr Veronica Ward for South Camberwell which includes Oglander Road. I'm afraid the budget doesn't stretch to Oglander as well and no one on Oglander has ever contacted council officers to ask for controlled parking - they make a log of all ideas nad requests. Sorry. Hi PeckhamRose, Sure you appreciated council garages are within the Housing Revenue Account. So any revenue raised is ring fenced for council housing. Council housing rents have strong direction from central government. Garage rents do not so easy way to raise cash. My political hunch is they have this huge step increase now and not increase for following three years and most users will forget for 2014 local elections. Their had been a proposal to charge garage rents based on demand. When this was taken from memory 18months ago to tenants council they made their displeasure very clear. 50% garage rent rise. Yes, its clearly meant to raise money. Regretabbly Labour won in May and get to decide such things. The land such garages sit on is hugely valuable but for most areas these garages are popular but increasingly with people who don;t live in the associated council housing. These increases I under stand also apply to pram sheds used for storing bicycles etc. Hi nannyjuice, Mortified if I've let you down. Sorry. IF you can email me direct as I don't have any pending emails with the first name Lily and no pending PM's.

Might be a good excuse to talk to your soon to be neighbours and ask if they could help by parking and then moving their cars. Make a point of inviting them for a glass of champagne at the end of the first day to celebrate becoming neighbours. The first 6 motnhs after moving in you're at greatest risk of eing burlged UNLESS you quickly become friendly with neighbours. Good luck and hope it all works out well for you.

Hi apmuso, I've met with council officers who are going to undertaken an assessment of parking pressure and baseine occupancy survey to assess whether Melbourne Grvoe (Grove Vale-EDG), Derwent, Elsie, Tintagel, Zeonoria.Oxanian, Grove Vale, East Dulwich Road (grove Vale to Adys Road), Ondine, Copleston (Grove Vale-Oxenford St), St Francis suffers from commuter parking and excessive demand as a result. So on a Thurs, Sat and Sun between now and 31 March you'll see several people going around noting the last 3 characters of number plates every hour starting at 6am until and including 7pm. This is all correlated and analysed to work out what pressures exist. IF anyone on another street wants to talk through the methodology and would like to emulate this on their street such as Chesterfield, Matham I'd be delighted to help them. To support this our next survey will include a question about this issue from the East Dulwich Lib Dem councillors.

If anyone has an anti social noise problem call 020 7525 2000.

I've already asked whether these lollipop people can be on duty at times that match both local state and private schools. They are funded by the surplus between the costs of enforcing parking restrictions and fines paid. This is good news in that it means no driver for schools that become academies or private ones to pay for this public service aimed at kids 12 and under. I'll let you know how I get on.

You don't have to cycle so hard you get a sweat up. Also no rules of the road that demand top to toe lycra. I cycle in 'smart casual' and rarely work up a sweat and when in danger of this unzip jacket. This all accepts summer afternoons when I'm on the way home and going over the hill.

I've been asked if the Goose Green rounabout is being reduced in size. I'm assured it isn't. Some of the bricks have been dislodged and have not yet been fully rebuild into place as one of the roads entrances will be slightly realigned to reduce number of vehicles hitting the roundabout.

Hi DJ, Sudihe, I shall try and find out. We were doing well in reducing the number of children in care. Regards james.

Hi Siduhe, The response from Transport for London is that the lights have not been changed. But the chap who would have changed them if they had been changed has just left TfL. I'm sorry I don't know what to make of this information with this caveat. However, a lot of works are taking place in Peckham Rye area so it might be causing this I guess.

Hi MissDollyMixture, Holding a street party is a great way to get to know your neighbours. You even have an extra excuse this year.If you need any help with the paperwork let me know. Melbourne Grove where the two burglaries took place is part of the Vale Residents patch - that's another great way ot get to know your neighbours in the street and perhaps suggest a Neitghbourhood Watch scheme.

Hi DJ, For some parts of the UK 80% of the market rate might be reasonable. I can imagine middle of wales 20% of a very deflated housing rental market beign reicidulously cheap. Equally 80% of London is increidbly high. So hopefully the new localism ethos will allow local councils to make judgements for themselves of what's best for their community. james.

Hi DJ, I read the article I think it was in Saturdays Guardian. I checked out Southwark Council's website which isn't anywhere near as restrictive as you'd assume from the Guardian article which would appear to have taken lowest common UK denominators. http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/160/adoption/1906/who_can_adopt Southwark Council states the following people CAN adopt: - Childless couples. - Couples with children. - Single people with or without children. - People over 40. - People who are gay or lesbian But it is a problem with not enough people coming forward to adopt. And I'm sure you're right in that infertility treatments must have reduced the pool of people wnating to adopt to have a family life that includes children. james.

The clock was removed to be repaired in the Autumn. The repairers are having problems as one of the parts they need t replace is apparently very unusual. But library staff have chased and will be chasing the repairers.

So after a breiefing from council officers. ALL Southwark's lollipop people (school crossing patrol's) are funded from a tiny part of the Parking (fine) revenue account (surplus of fines collected over expense of catching people). The remaining surplus is used to provide other transport related activities. Total of 52 lollipop people across Southwark at . The two at the junction of Lordship Lane and Townley Road are designated against Alleyns School but clearly used by kids going to other schools as well. Should I be making a case for these guys to work state school term times?

Hi Al&Em, I've had it confirmed that TfL has banned that U turn on safety grounds as other traffic while undertaking vehicles making that manuerve would mount the pavement.

Hi PeckhamRose, Usually parents have bought such machines for their kids and don't realise the danger they've placed their kids both the direct phyiscal danger and danger of gaining a criminal record. Same applies to the parents. My understandihg is Safer Neighbourhood Teams have been successful at resolving this type of blight. But it does take time to find who involved.

I'll ask the head of libraries.

Hi Al&Em, This U turn ban will have been placed on this Transport for London road for either or both of the following reasons - safety, capacity. U turns across such a busy road are more likely to cause a crash. Slowing for people U turing from both sides will slow other traffic and reduce the overall capacity. I'll contact Southwark's traffic department to ask if they know the full official reasoning from TfL.

Please keep the local East Dulwich Safer Neighbourhood Team posted - this is part of their remit and if on duty would respond immediately. They will also try and solve the root causes. Their number is 07920 233912.

I hadn't noticed this. Any idea when this happened?

Hi DJ, Writing of the Southwark housing debt - or at least a good slab and no longer sending council rent to the treasury and getting around 80% of Southwark housing debt interest paid for centrally is a good thing in principle. The precise negotiation on what this will finally result in terms of debt reductino have yet to be negotiated and of equal importance will be the ability to refinance the remaining debt to market rates. Currently LA's have to go via a treasury quango that often sets artifially high interest rates. Today's Oberserver carries an interesting peice by Peter PReston about right wing press boosting circulation when Labour in power and vice versa. He suggests that all the papers see the coalition as great opportunity to protect thier market shares.

From memory the latest crime stats showed in December 13 burglaries for East Dulwich ward. This is a little up on trend but not an epidemic. Almost universally every crime incident is trauma for those involved. So it doesn't have be an epidemic to be awful experience when just 1 crime happens. My kids always have to think before going down stair about is the alarm on and still talk about burglars coming to get them/us - and that's after two years where the chased the b***ers away and they didn't get to take anything.