James Barber

Hi Rosie H, Do you mean the old timber yard? If so the site was due to be cleared last week and building works on family homes started.

Hi steveo, Southwark Life doesn't cost ?50,000 to distribute. I was curious how much the Conservative and Green Party who tend to pay for political leaflet distribution in our area - insufficient volunteers or bags of money. The quote for East Dulwich ward, which is one of 21 political wards in Southwark, was ?300->?350. times that by 21 allow for 20% at least as a volume discount and it would cost less than ?5,000 per month. As for the print costs and editorial content preperation. As I said I've asked for this info from officers and when I receive it I'll share with you.

Hi Amelie, Private Eyes Rotten Borough section on the web shows amonst others: SOUTHWARK: Now they?ve spent ?165m on new offices, council officers ask: isn?t it about time we got massive bonuses? Makes a great headline when the facts taken so much out of context. We rent the new back offices at 160 Tooley Street. So we have'nt paid ?165m. If you add enough years rent up, from memory we pay ?5m pa, it does eventually come to ?165m. So far we've made savings of ?35m - by closing over 30 smaller offices dotted around Southwark - no more receptionists rotas and security rotas for over 30 buldings just one, etc. Many contractors let go that were temporarily employed until centralised into Tooley Street and functions shared. But I don't think Private Eye would sell much by with headlines of "shock savings made by council". As for bonuses, so very senior managers have performance management pay, and some have delivered larger back office savings than expected. Again I don't think Private Eye would ever run "senior council managers even better than expected".

Car clubs. Hi sophiesofa, The decision on which car club is to be made in the next 4 weeks. Hi jeremy, If you email me at james.barber@southwark.gov.uk I'll try and get a copy to email you.

Hi Jeremy, Some time ago you asked about when you'd be able to recycle locally eco light bulbs/CfL's. After many enquiries collecting via blue boxes not suitable as they the bulbs would get broken. Libraries the special boxes to receive them would take up to much room. A really helpful offer from Lordship Lane eco shop Karavan but due to WEEE legislation this couldn't be accepted. Finally, Sainsburys on Dog Kennel Hill has agree to start collecting them. I'm hopeful we'll find a way to create a collection point in East Dulwich but Sainsburys isn't so far away.

Car Clubs. Southwark Council is about to agree a preferred Car Club organisation who will be allocated 85 on street Car Club car parking spaces. That's roughly 4 per ward. As each Car Club car is shared by members they generally result in 8-15 private cars per car club car being taken of off local streets. Makes loads of sense as most cars stay parked and unused 95%+ of the time. To accelerate this scheme Each Dulwich ward councillors Jonathan Mitchell, Richard Thomas and I awarded sufficient funds to create an extra 10-20 car club parking spaces. This means that most East Dulwich residents will be within 200m of a car club space. Attached is plan of where the spaces are proposed to be placed. Green dots represent the general car club spaces proposed and the red dots the extra East Dulwich ward car club spaces.

I follow Sue's route or cycle to Paddington. The cycle to Paddington is particularly nice through Hyde Park and takes 50minutes slowly or 40minutes if cycling fast.

Hi the-e-dealer, I've spoken to council officers. The Standard Operating Procedure you've described is still followed and was followed on the day. The temporary works were orignally planend to be left in place to allow Thames Water work and resurfacing. Each planned for consequtive single days. After the Police had investigated and recorded the crime scene they allowed the temporary lights and barriers, etc to be removed. It was felt that under the circumstances continuing with the temporary lights would have been inappropriate. So at some point Thames Water will need to undertake works at this location and resurfacing will also be required after Thames Water.

Hi Claire29, If you didn't report it to Southwark Council can you PM your address and I'll ask for this to be investigated.

Hi Curmdgeon, Representing Southwark Cyclists on the Dulwich Safe Route to School I undertook some analysis of where kids came from for two of the local Private schools to help them complete School Travel Plans. This was two years ago but two thirds came from Southwark and Lambeth. Vast majortity within two miles radius which for secondary stage pupils seems quite reasonable. Clearly the odd exception that surprised me but quite a few local kids go to state schools in places like Pimlico. Its not the distance from school but the mode of transport. I don't have comparative data for this but certainly via my support of Dulwich SRTS lots of effort by parents to walk and cycle to private and state schools. Regards james.

Southwark Council is undertaking a parks parks survey. Tell them about Peckham Rye park and dogs (amongst other things) before 30 April. NB great post Huggers.

Hi TJ, Happy to facilitiate, support in anyway. Will be fascinated to hear the casework you're collecting for the Police. BUT if we all report such crime the Police would already have this picture. I know East dulwich Police have had the latest crime mapping training. So do report every crime and suspicious activity and they can intelligently act.

Hi Pickle, Two avenues for spending money of Southwark council controlled roads and pavements. The Executive Member decides each year based on details condition reports. The executive councillors has also devolved around half his budget to local community councils. In East Dulwich this means Cllr Jonathan Mitchell, Richard Tohmas and I decide how roughly ?25,000 is spent on street lighting and ?33,000 on road maintenace. Our next batch of decision would normally be made at the start of the financial year but that lands udirng purdah. So straight after the local elections. Around June/July time.

Hi steveo, I'm assured the letters in Southwark Life are not fake or faked. With close to 1/3rd million residents in 105,000 homes each getting a Southwark Life magazine each month easy to see that it would generate letters. Why don't you send/email one in. I'll try and find out exactly how much it costs per annum and your other queries. BUT honestly its not a high priority compared to other more pressing casework.

Hi trinity. I've relatively good news on the where to dispose of my energy efficient light bulbs. Sainsburys on Dog Kennel Hill has just introduced a box for collecting such light bulbs. It would be presumptous to say my repeated questioning of council officers led to this but it certainly didn't do any harm.

Hi Trinity, I've tried getting a collection point set-up in East Dulwich to no avail so far. Apprently under the WEEE rules the supplier has to be willing to take it back and dispose of it. So I could'nt get Southwark Council to support Karavan who were willing to act as a conduit. This will sound crazy but officially you need to take it along to Manor Place or the Lambeth waste centre around Rosendale Road. I'll make further queries. as this is silly.

I should have pointed out the high population churn doesn't help. My reference to social housing was more around large blocks not being street properties and with no concierge service as many large private blocks in the north of Southwark often have. Our waste contractor Veolia assures us going co mingling will boost recycling rate very quickly during the next financial year from 24% to 30%. I believe this is a step towards further segregation when food waste will be collectable which clearly will have to be seperated. What amazed me is that with six collection points only 14kg of tetrapak carton recycling a week taking place but more significantly the only place in Europe they can be recycled is in Sweden. So all Europes recycle tetrapaks are transported to Sweden. As 90% of tetrapaks are cardboard it costs a fortune in CO2.

Hi horsebox, I'm really sorry you've had this problem. If you email me at james.barber@southwark.gov.uk with your actual address I'll ask officers to resolve this for you. Recycling rates. This financial year 24% of waste will be recycled and next FY 30%. We expected to be on 30% now but the new Integrated Waste Transfer Facilitiy is running a year behind schedule due to the PFI agreement with the government and Veolia taking longer than expected. Painful. When the Lib Dems took over from Labour in 2002 the recycling rate was 3.6% and falling. Only newspapers were collected from homes in the Dulwich area. So we've all come a long way to reach 24% but its not good enough yet. This Spring/Summer we're rolling out comingling to make recycling easier and boost to 30% and beyond. However, recycling will always be more challenging when over 60% of residents live in social housing and 80% of all residents live in blocks of flats. I'm told this is much more of both than nearly any other council in Britain. So until the end of the year we're quoted as being 6th worst for recycling but probably one of the very hardest boroughs to collect it in. Collecting from 'street properties' is a cinch in comparison. Probably worth mentioning that we now have six locations for Tetrapak cartons to be deposited at but each week they only recover 14kg of waste. Now have 22 fabric collection points across the borugh. Household batteries can be left at all 14 libraries.

Building works should only ever take place between Mon-Fri 8am-6pm and Sat 8am-1pm. If building works ever outsid these times complain to Southwark's 24/7/365 noise team 0n 020 7525 5777. If during these times then I would hope a sensible local chat helps. If not complain to the noise team. No builder should expect residents with kids to move out which is effectively what they are expecting in your case.

Some disruption around 320-346 Lordship Lane will take place due to carriageway resurfacing starting 16 February between 9.30am-4pm for two days. Any problems or concerns let me know.

Hi dbboy, I hate changing buses. I especially hate changing buses when I'm with kids and/or heavy bags. Taking one bus to an East London Line station I would have thought really helpful. As helpful would be real time bus information but that's another argument.

Hi Katie1997, Apologiues for not being clearer. I mean a la Goose GReen in the sense of how the changes to Goose Green rounabout have been consulted on. Letters to all homes in an area with specific options to choose from. We're at the pre full consultation stage in my mind.

On Saturday the East Dulwich Police Safer Neighbourhood Team had an open day session for crime prevention advice. Lots of people came along and they gave out 70 properry marking kits, 25 bike locks and personal attack alarms. Good event well supported. If you'd like any of these crime prevention items let me know.

Hi Pugwash, I've asked if an anti speeding excercise to be run in this area. It probably wont catch the particular offender/s without more precise timing and a dollop of good luck though.

This attacked clearly sounds horrific and terrifying. Clear that a trend of behaviour going on. Terrible for the dogs attacked and owners. But what if it sees a child on reins at some point? I really think those that have had this happen to them and their dogs have a public duty to contact the Peckham Rye Safer Nieghbourhood Team. Next time it could be a toddler savaged.