James Barber

Hi bady-nan, The Court Lane entrance to Dulwich Park I believe to only be partially completed and the road will be raised as part of the next step to that level. Clearly period between the two parts. Sorry, you'll needa few more weeks patience before this is finished.

For the last 18 months the East Dulwich Lib Dems have been hand delivering and knocking on every door in East Dulwich ward: www.tinyurl.com/edsurvey

As we all know this years Primary School admissions has been painful. Quite out of the blue we have had unhappy parents. 120 appeals, 8 upheld from over 2,500 applications. I?ve asked council officers how many cases councillors and MP?s referred to them for help: Labour 13 - councillors 5, Harriet Harman MP 3, Tessa Jowell MP 5. Liberal Democrats 35 - councillors 14, Simon Hughes MP 21. Convervative 1. Total 46.

Hi G, Why the obsession? You've emailed me several times, you've posted on this thred several times and created another thred. I could ask council officers for an invesitgation but that seems at the face of it a pointless use of their valuable time. Let me know why you need this and we can then both agree how much effort we both think sensible and practicable to apply. Hi Ko and Pugwash, I'll make a point of paying attention when next on Landells Road about its state and then feedback how we can improve things.

Afraid not.

Hi G, I've asked officers to ensure that before completing the Goose Green rounabout works that the central island walls are repaired. How did/do they get damaged. I'd guess lorry trailers.

I can only imagine how tricky it will be to fix this central islands wall. But to level the road will involve some tricky closures and I've asked that the wall repair be included in this.

mrs.lotte, I will be seeking very clear explanations of where buldge classes are proposed and what impacts they are likely to have on schools such as Goose Green. Snookering Goose Green is absolutely not intended. Its official recovery a la Ofsted from Special Measures is a key to avoiding school places issues in the area. Hi clux, It seems very unfair that late applications can gazump others on school waiting lists. It encourages playing this legal requirement of our system. It explains how so many 1st round offers were then not accepted and the huge whirly gig that took place and much lesser degree still is. Once all the offers, unaccepted offers and changes settled down 90% ended up at schools within a mile of home and hopefully a school they are happy with.

Hi FionaC, VikkiM, I'm afraid your representation of the meeting doesn't reflect my understanding. Last nights meeting of the councils Overview and Scurtiny Committee was arranged to meet at the East Dulwich Community Centre to discuss the problems East Dulwich parents faced with this years primary schools admissions process with local East Dulwich parents. Disappointing that barely a handful of parents could attend plus a handful of headteachers and school governors. However, the room was full of councillors, council officers and party political activists. Really thought provoking presentation from Terry Parkin the lead officer accountable for admissions. Lots of searching questions that brought out lots of other facts. Main points I took from the scrutiny: - Idea of next admissions process having many pre prepared buldge class options and then activating them depending on parent demand. This de risks any future GLA pupil predictions being wrong while the economy is in such a pickle. It also attempts to maximise parent choice. - More assurance that the GLA stats people now understand what went wrong this year after 15 years of unblemished near spot on pupil predictions. - Amazing to hear that Southwark created an extra 45 reception places and still has 17% spares places in less fashionable schools such as the excellent Bessemer Grange. Lambeth and Lewisham had to create 150 extra emergency reception places each, Richmond 210, Enfield a whopping 22 classes totalling 660 reception places. This was shocking and really put into context how well Southwark had coped finding places with a massive London wide issue. - ?30M being pumped in Southwark Primary schools to physically make them better by Southwark Council and ?25M from central government. - Southwark schools close to being in top quartile for performance but time lag from when a schools performance soars to when publicly recognised for this. This means some parents are avoiding sending their kids to great schools e.g. Goose Green and the knock on impact this has. Next March schools are predcted to be out of special measures. - That across Southwark 175 and in greater Dulwich area 22 kids go ?missing? each year. They just don?t show up at the schools places they?ve accepted. This displaces other kids who could have had those places. It also costs the council a whopping ?100,000 each year chasing these down to ensure they are in a school somewhere and are safe and the acceptable school places can be released. - That quite a few parents received letters stating they'd applied late. But the late status was applied to those that applied late OR changed their application forms. - That the admissions department has enough officers for a normal year but this abnormal year they were overwhelmed with worried parents. These officers will be increased by three as admissions numbers are bulging for the next 5-6 years. If you're an East Duwlich parent and this doesn't concu with how you think it went please let me know.

I've made a concious effort to join in the East Dulwich Forum milieu. I joined a coupleo f years ago but felt inspired to engage as the East Dulwich station manager had. I've had some really helpful challenges, gained some casework where I've been able to help residents and also acquired some useful insights. Some of the dialogue has also been really helpful. I would'nt expect my two East Dulwich ward colleagues to duplicate me on the East Dulwich Forum. They concentrate on other areas I take more of a back seat. In this way I hope we make more things happen. For example tonight at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 7pm East Dulwich Community Centre on Darrell Road you'll see my ward colleagues CllrRichard Thomas taking a very active role in examiniing the Primary School admissions problems of this year. We've both spent time investigating and discussing ways forward.

Hi intexasatthe moment, I've asked officers to fully explian the whole system and process and will report back what I find. However, my priority at present is on Primary school admissions as the councils executive will be receiving a report of what happens next in November as well as tonights OSC meeting. Hi Don Quixote, I'm sorry if the latest Focus feels like a boast on the new Harris Boys school being over subscribed. It's a relief that the evidence we had that a new school was required is demonstrated for real with real applications. Much flak has been drawn building this school. Building any new school is a long and tortuous process taking 5-7 years. The next big step is when it moves onto its permanent site in about 10 months time.

Hi Steady Eddy, I'd be interested to see the evidence the Automobile Association has to offer on the subject. Could you post a link to it please? I'm sorry for the touch on politics that offended. The propsective Labour East Dulwich candidate Les Alden critised a decision taken by his Labour colleagues in Peckham Rye. I felt obliged to point this out rather than it be assumed he was criticising me as Lib Dem councillor not listening to East Dulwih residents.

to becoem a Local Authority apopointed governor you don't stand for election. You apply on the attached application form. you talk to officers who'll take your wishes into consideration. Ideally visit a governors meeting to see that it does suit you and if appointed go onto make a difference to many hundreds if not thousands of childrens lives.

Dulwich Hospital intermediate beds have been closed 'temporarily'. Apparently all the lifts have to have maintenance done at the same time so Southwark NHS is closing the Intermediate Care Unit at Dulwich Hospital. "As a result, services provided on the upper floors of Dulwich Hospital including the Intermediate Care Unit are being moved. There will be no admissions to the Intermediate Care Unit until further notice and existing patients have been relocated. We are currently working with contractors to identify the costs and time scales associated with work required to ensure the lifts are properly certified and will provide an update as soon as possible." So no idea when the services will re open. Cynics might suggest Dulwich Hospital is closing by stealth. Recently several planning applications have been submitted to improve the grounds - new pedestrian entrance and improving the existing one. re isntalling the war memorial. My hunch is that with the recession and the propsect of selling the cleared land maintenance issues at Dulwich Hospital are being fixed. Hence these lifts closing. We'll be watching to make sure this is resolved asap.

Southwark Council has submitted its Local Implimentation Plan to Transport for London of how it wants to shape and change its highways and transport over the next three years. A rolling ?9.8M plan - see attached. Two things solely proposed for the Dulwich Community Council area covering East Dulwich, Dulwich Village and College wards. Spending ?500,000 on public realm and speed reduction along Lordship Lane and Grove Vale - making it more shared space. Spending ?500,000 subsidising the number 42 bus being extended from Sunray Avenue to terminate at Sainsbury?s on Dog Kennel Hill during financial year 2011/12 & 2012/13. This bus extension subsidy does seem expensive. Proposed schemes covering the whole of Southwark include - cycle training, travel awareness and promotion events, safe routes to school/travel plans, supporting sustianable infrastructure, speed reductions measures, surveying, eletric vehicle on street charging points. What do you think is needed to improve Southwark roads? Have we hit the mark?

Hi Nero, I'm sorry if the crime states I posted several days ago weren't clear enough. The reported crime rate for the 12 months up until and including August 2008 were 169 crimes per 1,000 population and the 12 months period upto and including August 2009 was 122 crimes per 1,000 population. The population of East Dulwich ward is around 10,000 people. So 470 fewer crimes have been reported affecting more than 470 people. I'm proud of the part I played in achieving this. Crime is directly affecting around 10-15% of East Dulwich residents every year and indirectly many more. I'm sorry my posts didn't give that context.

a qualified electrician should be able to help you. OR get a good DIY book and free up a weekend.

Hi fuzzboots, et al, I can assure any prospective school governors we give lots of support. I;'m clear such support was given 12 years ago. Training for the role is encouraged and provided free by Southwark LEA. Most bigger oeganisations will give time of to support such public sprited activity. That the main governors committee typically meet once or twice per term. Joining other sub committees works out at about a meeting every 3-5 weeks total. Worth noting a Primary school governor role is not as demanding as a secondary school governor role and I suspect fuzzboots you were a governor at the latter? Without good critical friends a school doesn't usually reach its full potential.

Hi bawdy-nan, I think you asked did Southwark meet its legal obligation to ensure sufficient pre school childcare in place. Yes it did. Is their a direct relationship between ensuring sufficient pre school childcare places and schools admissions. No their isn't. The school admissions rates are related to pre school chilcare rates but the variables are numerous between the two and it has been suggested vary wildly in times of turmoil as we've been experiencing. Hope that more succintly answers your points.

Request. Schools are managed by the head teacher and governors working together with the support of Southwark LEA. As a councillor I appoint Southwark LEA Primary school governors at the Dulwich Community Council and as chair of Southwark's Voluntary Appointment Panel appont secondary and special schools governors. We have a shortage of applicants. On Tuesday we filled a governor role left vacant for 12 months. A good governor can really help shape how quickly a school improves. Eaxample. About 18 months ago a school governor was in touch with me about a capital spend they wanted help with. I helped arrange an advance on their capital grant so the works could happen early. But the point is the governor made a huge difference by highlighting the issue. If any parents on this thread or friends or family would like to apply to be a Southwark LEA Governor please do get in touch with me. We need more people putting themselves forward who have a passion for improving schools in our area.

Hi bawdy-nan, Hopefully I can now explain a little more Southwark's duty related to nursery places/chilcare provision and how it undertakes it. Southwark is required to undertake a sufficiency survey every three years to ensure enough childcare places for those wanting them are in place. Southwark undertakes a questionaire survey on a representative sample of residents. Contacting every family would be hugely expensive and duplicating the job of the ten yearly full national census. The survey covers more than simply childcare for under 5s. It also asks questions about aspirations as well as solid intentions of parents for childcare and is a planning tool. Its purpose is not to provide information for school place planning but for managing the childcare market so it is a measure of likely demand for pre school childcare. This is clearly a very different activity from school place predictions. Connected but with potentially huge variables depending on rate of families leaving the area, families entering the area, use of private education, home learning rates, etc. Does this answer your question?

Hi m7post, Its the chewing gum that really annoys me. Agree we need occassional deep clean of grim that litter picking, manual sweeping and rain just doesn't seem to shift. I'll ask a question at full council assembly to get a definitive answer.

Fascinating reading. So Labour DfT said to Tory TfL if you want ELL2 you'll have to find the money. Tory TfL said if we have to make tough decision then please Labour DfT cancel Victoria-Bellingham planned services ameliorating SLL closure. BUT Labour DfT told Network Rail how big and what services it wants at London Bridge which resulted in insufficient spaces for SLL which started the whole mess. "A plague on both your houses"

Hi Jeremy, My understanding is that they are rolling 12 months to that point.

Hi Michael Paleaologus, London Bridge Station until mid 1970's had several more platforms. These platforms were removed to make way for a train workers car park and a then new signalling box. That signalling box is now ancient - I had a tour several months ago - it works by relays clunking away. It felt like going back in time. During that visit the Network Rail managers talked about moving that singalling box into the suburbs and modernising all the signalling. This would make is very easy to return those lost platforms. QED plenty of platforms.