James Barber

We've used single bed BUT turned single duvet 90 degrees and seriously tucked it under the mattress. They're snuggled and little chance of falling out. For summer months single unfitted sheet and did the same thing with duvet over the top. My wife's a genuis for arranging these things.

Hi Smiler, I can understand your reticence and I suggest mrs.lotte felt the same until she visited the school. I guess that's the key. Visiting a school as well as reading the reports and deciding whether you think your child will be happy at a particular school and have great learning experiences. Heber was in this situation a few years back. It turned the corner long before the reports and parents word of mouth realised. My gut instinct is Goose Green has turned that corner.

Hi misticnutmeg, I feel I must take exception to allegedly leaking good information. If I wanted to leak I'd leak much more helpful news than that but that would be morally wrong. As I've made clear I reported information revealed to all Heber's parents by Heber School, attaching a copy of the letter with a health wanring where it was wrong, and is well and truly in the public domain. Hardly a leak. Last year 90% of on time applications were allocated a school within 1 mile of home. The remaining 10% were siblings for schools where the parents had moved or religious schools where we'll never be able to provide schools of all faiths within 1 mile. For late or subsequently changed applications 80%. This year for on time applications Lambeth have achieved 75% first choice. On 10 May it will be public what Southwark has achieved with the extra time and flexibility of working out where to put bulge classes. Hi smiler, Ofsted ratings. Clear someone needs to rate schools impartially. The scorecard Ofsted use do seem a little skewed. I understand Goose Green's ratings have suffered by not having enoguh community involvement. Not having a door cut through the listed building from reception to outside. I'm trying to help the school with these. But I'm surprised the teaching is'nt given more emphasis in this scorecard system. NB my day job we measure our suppliers using scorecards and we're more focused on the outcomes - so surely happy, cared for kids that are loeanring lots is more important than whether a school gets nearby businesses of non parents involved. Any Ofsted inspectors out their PLEASE do get in touch with me as I'd really find it helpful to understan your systems.

Hi northlondoner, No, not yet. My take is council officers get increasingly troubled with answering questions so close to polling day. I've logged it. Whatever happens I'll get an answer before or after the elections.

Southwark Anti social hotline is 020 7525 5777 from memory or noise team via 020 7525 2000 or RSPCA Cruelty line 0300 1234 999 or local branch 07952 680 522. Hope these help.

In 1999 the House of Lords was partially reformed. Most of the hereditary peers were removed. Since then its no overal control for any party. Without democratic legitamacy its been restrianed but it has repeatedly challenged new laws and negotiations have taken place. Wasn't 90 day detention without trial originally proposed but endded up 30 days? Effectively HoL with NOC has been hung and the sky has not fallen in. The scandals of the last two years have shocked and hugely angered people. Fundamentally no real change has happened since then. A hung or balanced parliament with the Lib Dems will have table stakes of ensuring real reform so that no MP can feel so safe they can treat voters with such contempt. Flipping, moats, houses for parents, porn films, etc. A non hung or balanced parliament will see a quiet return to the old ways. 80% of seats never changing hands, jobs for life with mega pensions for MP and nice retirement plans to the House of Lords or jobs in Europe. We all have a clear choice this election. But then I would say that. We've been saying this for decades.

Hi Smiler, I posted the comment, 'health warning', with the Heber letter that the admissions details in the letter were not correct. It would not have been appropriate of me to have edited the letter before posting. It is rare for Southwark schools to have bulge classes. Southwark has around 60-70 Infant/Primary schools. Last year 3 bulge classes. Heads and schools are not practised at sending such letters. So everyone should cut a little slack when they venture into something new. I'm not expecting this school to send such a letter again. But, they are clearly very good at and getting better at great schooling for local kids. Hi tallgirl, You can not imagine how much easier my life would be if the letters had been sent earlier and before purdah. But latest feedback I've had is that the delay so far has enabled an extra 100 kids (3%) to be allocated their 1st choices. I'm hoping this increases further. The decision that school admissions letters should be sent outside purdah would be made by the Director of Legal Services who is legally responsible for ensuring fair play - and that the council isn't used for political advantage or disdvantage. Post election. Old councillors terms end formally 10 May when new councillors formally become councillors. Formal constitutional decisions on who has what post get decided at full council assembly 19 May. Practically if the Lib Dems win our leader will be Nick Stanton and in the interim between 10-19 May I'd expect him on point with local councillors highlighting any issues. I'm anticipating a much much quieter period for councillors that last year.

Copy of the letter sent out by Heber School 22 April. The bit about admissions isn't correct as they confirmed last night.

Network Rail is a national body. So also complain via your MP which for Copleston Road is Harriet Harman giving Network Rail references you've been given. NR will have a person or team specifically for dealing with MP's and cabinet ministers. You might want to wait for after the elections as her office will be crazy with election fever OR you might want to ride the wave of trying to please people before the elections.

I don't believe I've leaked anything about Heber School having a bulge class. Heber school had called a meeting with interested parents to talk about a bulge class. That meeting took place yesterday and I was assured the invites had been sent out last week. The original date of releasing the primary school admissions results was 29 April. Its been delayed by six working days to 10 May. I've stated before that its been delayed by five working days but was wrong by one day. Sorry. prdarling, It appears I'd been told wrongly that Lewsiham was not organising bulge classes. I stand corrected. Sorry. They are organising 17-22 extra reception classes for 510-660 reception kids depending on who you ask and what you read. I've searched Lewsiham Council website and via google and I'm not able to find anything stating the number of classes or kids affected. Southwark to my knowledge have so far tried five completely different scenarios for where to place reception kids in possible bulge classes and permanent expansions. Last year across all of Southwark 3 bulge classes created - Goodrich, Crampton and Lyndhurst (1/2 class). It appears this year a similar order of magnitude will be needed across Southwark - in the East Dulwich area most likely Heber School will have a bulge class.

Yesterday evening Heber School held a parents evening to talk about the possible bulge class that now appears 99% certain. This is what I've had reported to me. 10 parents attended plus school senior staff and some governors. Apparently many points of detial about how it would work - school drop off, xmas plays. Points clarifying: - no expectation of a further bulge reception class next year. - ?12M is for permanenet and bulge classes across Southwark. So far ?5M for Lyndhurst permanent expansion to two form entry, ?2M on bulge classes around Southwark and final ?5M to be decided after this round of primary school admissions. - Goodrich was NOT forced to take a bulge class last year - categorically it OFFERED to provide a bulge class. - Benefits to the school from capital sum to make the bulge class work that wouldn't have occurred otherwise. It was made very clear that Heber School does not expect a bulge class to get in the way of maintaining and maing further improvements in standards. General consensus that keeping in touch with developments would help reassure everyone. Hope this allays fears.

Hi ClareC, Cars carrying people not able to walk around the park are allowed to drive into the park but at 5mph and bein ultra careful. I would imagine this to be a handful. I'll check with the head of parks services that the gates are correctly working and restricting use to essential users only. Out of office just pinged back saying they'll be in tomorrow.

Site is nearly cleared. My estimate is anothe day and the site will be totally cleared.

Hi Marmora Man, reetpetite, I've not felt comfortable replying before. Still feel very raw thinking about this collission and death. Shrivelled up flowers are rather evocative of a life tragically taken. The site is in Peckham Rye ward. I don't think it appropriate for me to request them to be removed and personally I would'nt be inclined for removal. You could contact the Peckham Rye ward councillors or request it via Southwark Council Environment line 020 7525 2000.

Hi nunheadmum, I spoke to the officer in charge on Friday. They are trying completely different scenarios and re running all the admissions with each scenario to see which scenario gives the best overall outcome. This is far from trivial. 1% is something like 30 kids and 60 parents. But whatever is said now the allocations come out 10 May and we'll have done everything possible to maxmimise 1st choices.

Hi Steph, I'll ask when this project will finish. Hi northlondoner, I;'ll ask about why the bags aren't collected AFTER street cleaners have been. As you say leaving it overnight is bound to result in fox issues.

I had eczema as a baby. It went until pubity when it came back. At times it felt desperate and debilitating. As an abult I visit a dermatologist. Best thing I ever did in my life. I have slightly different routines but what a joy to not be scratching. See a dermatologist. You have nothing to lose except the sleepless nights.

The pan London process is being applied to Primary school admissions next year I beleive. Southwark council officers believe that with the extra time they've been given on top of the pre arranged bulge class options that they can increase the percentage getting their 1st choice by one or two percent. Waiting five working days enabling more kids and parents to get their 1st choice seems sensible. I will find out if I can release the expected 1st choice percentage or not.

Hi Peter, I'm a professional buyer of services. You're a barrister. I suspect I have a little more experience of buying from suppliers and the issues involve than you or your team much as I you have infinately more experience of beign ab arrister than I have.

July. BUT it is hoped that it will complete earlier if physically possible. The delays due to the unexpectly bad winter weather.

If you live near The Bishop pub at 25-27 Lordship Lane you may want to comment on the attached premises licence change to allow the flat roof areas to be used as a drinking area. I'm keen on feedback from residents on Spurling Road, Crawthew Grove and flats above shops in that part of Lordship Lane (very northern end). Removing a condition that was presumably put in for a reason feels like a problem.

Hi buggie, I once caught a flight back from Canada. It left late afternoon and arrived at 5am. I didn't want to land at 5am and it could have left later from Canada without disturbing anyone's sleep. The reason it did these things was because it could. If this pattern was'nt allowed they would have flown it somewhere else instead. Apparently very few night flights each night around 14 but boy are they disruptive. I've read that all the orginating locations have other flgihts landing at civilised times in London. So clearly not a problem to rearrange.

Hi northlondoner, That's very kind of you but my wife and young kids patience is close to breaking point with all the current campaigning as it is. Also, I think having a normal day job helps me bring useful perspectives to how the council runs - apart from also paying the mortgage.

Hi prdarling, The legal advice given by the Southwark's lead officer on this must be different to Lewisham's. Every boroughs interpretation of purdah rules appears different. Yesterdays update was that with the extra time council officers believe they can finesse the draft allocations they've made and get another percentage point or two of parents receiving their first choice for their children. From next year one unified London allocations system helping with people who live near borough borders.

New plant - I meant new water cleaning, electric etc machinery. But the new and old entrances I believe will have new planting. Soft play not in the plans. Very little feedback in the public consultation for this. I did ask for this in the consultation. At the time my kids were 3 & 4. But little support so I'm afraid still a trek down to the Peckham Pulse for soft play (Peckham Pulse soft play ok young kids party venue as well if you're organised).