James Barber

Hi intexasatthemoment, The national policy of allowing primary and secondary schools that Ofsted have declared as outstanding to be fast tracked into Academies will have very different impacts in different local authorities. Many tory controlled LEA's provide fewer centralised school support services. So little to stay for and I suspect the numbers of schools wishing to become academies are much higher in such areas. Whereas, many LEA's still do provide many centralised useful services that even outstanding schools will find useful and hard to replicate. My hunch is that such authorities are more likely to be Lib Dem and labour controlled. Also, issues of school governors not wanting the additional responsibilities. We'll know soon enough.

Zig zags outside schools are useful for kids crossing the road but also intended as place for fire engines to park if they're called to a fire at a school. Presumably some ghastly incident once occurred where fire engines could'nt with dire or near dire consequences. I suspect school run exacerbated for St.Anthony's as its admissions policy isn't based on nearest school. So more likely parents will need to drive. One merit of the 1/2 form entry bulge class this year at St.Anthony's, assuming the prefab classes get planning permission, will be a fewer RC kids having to traipse over to Lewisham. Another big driver for parents driving kids to school is then driving onto work. In the past fewer families with two bread winners as well as fewer families with a car. Regards james.

Just received letter from the new Labout Cabinet member for Leisure stating pool will reopen in August. Seems to have slipped by a month since the May elections. Releived that project so far progressed that this flagship Lib Dem project will be finished. August not ideal but at least it will be in place for the new school year. Shame the summer holidays wont see kids beign kept busy swimming.

Dulwich Leisure Centre. New letter from the new labour Cabinet member in charge of Leisure. It will cost circa ?5,000 to post out. Thankful the project so far progressed that Labour have'nt canned this flagship Lib Dem strategy. Attached FAQ's state reopening of the pool in August. Slipped another month since the election. But at least it will be open for the new school year.

Hi Nero, I don't know but will find out.

I'm sure the main point was it happened in 2002 when Heber was a different school and the Local Education Authority was a very different LEA. The LEA had been privatised by Labour gov't as the council were so truly hopeless then. After the LEA beign handed back to a different council leadership it had 7 years of record improvements in schools results which I'd suggest would'nt be possible in ill disciplined schools. I guess something like this could happen again but much much less likely.

Hi Ant, That is strange. I cna only presume it is but if nmo signs or letters it must be delayed. I've received an emergency traffic order notification of road resurfacing on Hindmans Road between Upland Road and Tyrell's Road starting 15 minutes ago (this morning at 8am). Perhaps the resources have had to be diverted. Eitherway, I contacted the officer in charge to ask. As soon as I have any information I'll let you know.

This Sunday 6 June Herne Hill Velodrome has a residents' open day from 10am-5pm. Entrance adjacent to 104 Burbage Road. This is the only facility still in use that was used for the 1948 Olympics held in London. Also the only Velodrome in London. The programme on the day is: 0900-1100 Advanced track Training From 0930 Veteran-Cycle Club Family Fun day 1300-1600 Vintage Cycle tract racing 1600-1800 Women's track Training. See www.hernehillvelodrome.com I once had a go on the track. Amazing experience I plan to repeat.

If the building had ever been sold it was decided up front, when we internally debated within the Lib Dem group about closing the Livesey museum to make the required revenue savings, that any proceeds from a sale would have to be ring fenced for the benefit of local kids. I was really chuffed to then find out it couldn't be sold but that Peckham Theatre would take it over.

The Londis at 93 Lordship Lane has applied to sell alcohol 24/7 and change the layout to promote the sale of alcohol more. Please see attached for more details. If you wish to object/support this licence variation reference 832135 contact [email protected] stating a reason. This premise is at the southern tip of an alcohol induced crime warm spot. Hotspot would be over egging it but definately more alcohol crime between this shop and Goose Green roundabout than expected.

Hi JohnNorth, What "well documented" documentation are you talking about? Nick Stanton had no secret plans to sell the building. We had to make revenue savings. Labour have promised to reopen it so will be interesting to see what they cut to make this possible. Also, real shame for Theatre Peckham who would'nt then have bigger premises and expand their great work. The visitor figures. Extremely frustrating they were goofed up. If you have them to hand could you remind me were half the visitors from schools outside Southwark? Also, those from Southwark were they the highest performing schools? One parent expressed to me concern it was used as an easy day out which seemed harsh. One the key aspects of our recent local election manifesot was devolving lots more powersna budgets to community councils. So if the local community council had decided this was THE most important local youth faciltiy they would have been able reopen it. Eitherway we lost the election and Labour have promised to reopen it.

Hi Carrie, I don't know. They look healthy to me and without them suspect that part of Goose Green would be boggier. I've emailed the head tree officer in the council asking. NB these trees are in South Camberwell ward. Hi tommy, Ady's Road forms the borders between South Camberwell and The Lane wards. Clear that Ady's Road needs serious patching. I thought I'd explained that each Community Council area has funds it can allocate to such repairs and renewals. One of the The Lane ward councillors is Barrie Hargrove. He is the new Labour Cabinet member for Environment and his portfolio covers highways. You should email him directly on [email protected]

Thames Water and its contractors need to undertake 40metres of mains repairs from outside 60 East Dulwich Road towards Adys Road. They propose to start the works 8am 1 June until 5pm 2 June. Seems ambitious. So expect some parking pressures in the general area and disruption to this route.

House prices. My understanding the long term relationship between average income and average house prices has been 1:3. At the moment it is 1:6. That seems like quite a structural issue for the economy, private wealth, young people, old people. I don't know how to solve this structural problem. Part of the problem is rising population levels on an island where we want to keep green belt and we tax refurbishments of properties via VAT at 17.5%. In Southwark alone we have over 5,000 empty properties which is more or less exactly the the amount required to house the 15,000 people on the council waiting list.

Hi esme, Cllr Lewis Robinson has provided the following update regaridng the south circular junction at the Harvester restaurant. "TfL have undertaken to put a pedestrian phasing insat this juncton and its in their works programme for late summer this year. They have already completed a traffic count to facilitate this as I ran into them on site. I am expecting them to improve the phasing of the lights for traffic at the same time to mitigate traffic flow issues at the junction at the same time." So plans afoot.

The full coalition agreement has been finalised and is attached. Lots and lots of good Lib Dem policies that will radically change this country for the better. :))

Hi esme, I suspect it was one of the concervative College ward councillors who contacted you OR the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate. I'll ask Cllr Lewis Robinson what the latest is and report back. I know he's been trying to make this happen for some considerable time.

Hi languagelounger, I recall reading how water people can hear water leaks through a tube funnel thing. I'd guess middle of the night would be the best itme to do this. Regards james.

Hi DJKillaQueen, Effectively for 30 years both Labour and Tories have had an amnesty. Huge numbers are hear illegally and no action has been taken to remove them. The numbers are so huge the system can longer functions. Ignoring these facts doesn't make them go away. It's a crap situation that it exists at all. Especially as you point out we're an island. Hence the proposal for earned citizenship. Clear the backlog of people who are never going to be removed but should be integrated and pay taxes so that the efforts can be concentrated on those left and importantly employee them.

Hi northlondoner, I'm sorry to hear a bag of rubbish has been shredded, most likely by foxes, again. If a blue bag then left by street cleaners as and when they fill them. I have asked and will repeat the question can we have such blue bags rounded up after the street cleaners shift end. So avoiding nighttime fox issues. Shame they have any litter to fill bags with. It great that Southwark has some of the cleanest streets in London. But what a waste of our collective taxes to pay people to pick up thoughtlessly dropped litter.

TfL for those lights as on red route. Southwark Council as with other london councils use TfL to install and maintain traffic lights peilcian corssing on borough roads. They are rubbish at it but from memory don't charge us for this.

I've been asked for more detailed stats around non East Dulwich ward Primary Schools details of 4th choices. Admissions officers have agreed to provide details stats. Hopefully they'll come through next week.

Do any councils recycle plastic bags? Linpac 2001 calculated that one tonne of plastics is equivalent to 20,000 two litre drinks bottles or 120,000 carrier bags. Others have calculated that every year 290 bags for every person in the UK. Roughly 300,000 residents in Southwakr so circa 87 million plastic bags. This equates to roughly 725 tonnes pa. But should we recycle plastic bags or encourage a reduction in use. Slogan. Reduce, reuse, recycle. So really for plastic bags we should reduce 1st, then reuse and finally as a last resort recycle. Hencei n East Dulwich we supported SNUB (Say No to Unwanted Bags) to the tune of ?5,000 which distributed non plastic bags. If plastic bags have to be used then reuse them later for other purposes. Recycling plastic bags should be a last resort and in my opinion efforts to reduce and reuse should be way ahead of recycling.

soft plastics - is that the stuff that the manufacturers wrapping says can't be recycled?

Hi adey, Veolia, Southwark Council waste and recycling contractor, don't allow vehicles of off their depot before 6am. So this is most likely to be related to a business premise. Could you please email me your home and describe the type of problems and how it affects you and your household. My email is [email protected] We can then work with officers and the business to get a more reasonable collection regime. (PS. thanks for the congratulations) Hi ianr, I did check some weeks ago with officers about people in yellow his vis waiste coats checking rubbish in the middle of the night. Categorically told not council officers. I then referred the matter to our local East Dulwich Police Safer Neighbourhood Team. IF you have more isntances please report it to them.