James Barber

Hi peckhamrose, Delighted to hear you attend the Peckham Rye Safer Neighbourhood Team ward panel. the Community Speed watch does'nt issue fines, etc. If a pattern is proven then action is taken. So I don't see the risks you believe. You might like to ask why the East Dulwich ward police stats INCLUDE 1/4 of Peckham Rye ward, 1/8 of Village ward and 1/8 of College ward. Your Police stats doen't reflect your ward. Trying to get the Police to fix this but amazingly hard as at central level. This is one of the reaon the East Dulwich team has so many officers - nine.

Hi sian, Sorry to hear you've received 7 letters. If you email me at [email protected] I'll seek an explanation. The new Southwark Council back office amalgamates 30 other offices dotted around Southwark. That's 30 receptionist teams down to one, security guards the same, 100 drinks machine contractors down to one, one accounts payable going forward, etc, etc. This is already saving a huge sum of money which means the huge cuts made by central goverment have'nt been a disaster resulting in Southwark services being slashed. As importantly some of those 30 offices were so dilapidated that they would have cost ?30M to patch. For example the planning department has frequent waste pipe problems literally causing crap in the office. So to keep the best council officers we now havea modern office to work in. The one draw back is we could'nt procure such a building near to the Elephant&Castle and more central to Southwark Residents.

Hi peckhamboy, 80-85% of vehicles on the streets in East dulwich listed ARE managing to exceed 20mph. So quite significantly. Take a look at Community Speed Watch. They have'nt had vendettas or the other issues you've suggested. Empowering residents to help fix speeding problems on their street is a good thing. Police priorities. Traffic crashs cause as many residents to be killed and seriously injured in Southwark as all other 'real' crime and is much easier to reduce.

Hi indiepanda, Blimey, that a lot of points. - 2 year for new traffic lights means we have to sit on funds for a long time with no benefit. We need quicker solutions and ones that we know will work. - East Dulwich Plice Safer Nrighbourhood Team are happy to prioritse speeding when the community panel tell them. We've provided speed camera/gun and they reques this kit to help them do their jobs. - Damage from speeding. 97% of pedestrains survie collission at 20mph, 50% survive at 35mph. So even 1-3 mph makes a profound difference to survival rates. Living Streets. - Speeding drivers often have other issues but primarily focused on speeding. - Community speed watch. Take a look at Community Speed Watch the idea if residents on a street want to help resolve a problem fantastic. It also means the speed gun.camera kit we've provided goes further.

Hi Gimme, I'm sorry to see you being so cynical about the work we've been undertaking to bring 20mph speed limites to East dulwich streets that want it. This work is likely to result in your street having this limit and potentially speed humps etc that you've been pressing me for for some time. If you no longer want this and have had a change of heart please do tell me.

Hi Karter, Yes we would like average speed cameras on Barry Road and Lordship Lane. I believe they would have a hugely civilising effect. Lordship Lane, like most through routes, forms a ribbon of crashes. Barry Road has a couple of spot locations where crashes occur. Both would be hugely reduced in numbers of crashes if speeds were reduced. We've been waiting for several years for the Labour Government to allow average speed camera use in urban areas for 20 and 30 mph streets. Southwark Council has been taking part in a Department of Transport trial with average speed cameras in Rotherhithe. Results in still no change to the rules.

Hi ralphation, You've suggested crashes are caused by lack of visibility. I'd suggest excessive speed even when drivers can't see clearly. On roads where they've made sight lines 'better' or 'longer' speeds go up and collissions and severity of collissions usually go up as well. A good driver will recognise they can't see behind a parked car, etc and slow down accordingly. which specific junction are you referring to where you've seen so many crashes? I can then check where it appears in the crash data and when it will be fully reviewed to try and design out factors leading to crashes. Regards james.

Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf bridge was originally proposed by myself and Alastair Hanton when I chaired Southwark Cyclsits to Southwark Council and Sustrans. This was then explored by Transport for London and aAlthough the business case looked good Boris Johnson has canned this project citing the recession. Others have suggested he has priorities in other parts of London and self inflicted money pressures from his electoral pledges - cancelling Western congestion zone, etc. Other London bridges has been funded by a collection of sources so TfL saying straight no was very premature but importantly eliminated confidence from other potential funders.

The park is called St.Francis. It isn't owned or part of the East Dulwich Estate. Its upkeep and maintenance including litter picking etc is provided by Sainsburys as part of a legal Section 106 requirememt for it to receive its original planning permission. Real straight jacket as Sainsburys is not exactly the most imaginative of park operators. Unlikely we'll ever persuade them to maintain it to Green Flag status and add this as the eighth Green Flag open space in Southwark.

Hi Jeremy, Sorry its taken so long to get the exact details. Council project manager has been on holiday. The works taking place on the East Dulwich Estate which weirdly are not part of East Dulwich ward are: electrical rewiring, boiler replacements, (where required), kitchen renewals, bathroom renewals, coldwater stoarage tank renewals, electrics in communal areas, upgrade communal lighting, brickwork repairs, decorations to communal areas, window renewas, fronnt door renewals. Block by block plan: Phase 1 ? Sectional Completion - 3rd July 2009 Ivybridge House Inwood House Phase 2 ? Sectional Completion ? 5th January 2009 Gatcombe House Felbridge House Phase 3 ? Sectional Completion ? 2nd March 2009 Whaddon House Melbreak House Phase 4 ? Sectional Completion ? This is due and I await a date from our Contract Administrators Ledbury House Stagshaw House Ringmer House Petworth House Riseholme House Tidworth House Phase 5 ? Sectional Completion (Works Ongoing) Wheatland House Whitney House Wilton House Walcot House Phase 6 ? Sectional Completion (Works due to commence early 2010 and complete July 2010) Gedling House Fernie House Eridge House Cowdray House Bramham House Badminton House

Hi indiepanda, Signalising a junction costs around ?50,000 and currently has to be done by Transport for London who have a 2 year waiting list unless they decide it is urgent. Also, huge number of hoops to jump through. Placing 20mph speed signs on roads does reduce speed on their own. Total cost per street roughly ?500->?1000 per street taking into account all the legal hurdles, traffic counter, signs, etc. They also gives the opportunity to enforce where necessary. Happy coincidence is that drivers who break such speed limits on residential streets are disproportionately dodgy in some other way from the no insurance, no MoT, driving without a licence onwards up through crimes I suspect you would consider serious. Now for the contentious possibility....some residents would like to be trained and borrow the Police speed camera and note speeds and number plates for the Police to send warning letters. Do you think we should do this in East Dulwich? would you want to volunteer to help?

Hi M7Post, Funnilly enough I'd felt the same about the streets in East Dulwich getting grubbier than normal. I've asked council officers about this. Apparently street cleanliness is measured by a company called Encams 3 times a year. The last full years results for Southwark (lower results mean cleaner streets) 08/09 were: Litter 6%, detritus (eg.leaf material) 12%, graffiti 3%, Fly posting 1% A Southwark street cleaning inspector has just found for East Dulwich: Litter 2.4%, dtritus 22%, graffiti 0%, Flt posting 0% As a result more attention will be made to clearing Detritus in East Dulwich. However, we don't have the mechanisms for washing all our streets. In the future if very dry periods without any real rain continue e.g. global warming we'd have to review setting up the infrastructure for street washing. Hope this answers your points.

The bin crews are only allowed to leave the depot near the Elephant&Castle at 6am. So by the time they reach East Dulwich should be no earlier than 6.15am. If you are ever disturbed before 6.15am by rubbish collections in East Dulwich please let me know [email protected] it isn't acceptable or allowed in the contract with Veolia. I have enquired about whether they could start later. Lots mentioned by computedshorty above. Broad calculations it would required an additional crew costing ?150,000->?200,000 pa. In the currently climate I don't see other services being cut to make this possible. Paid building works outside 8am-6pm Mon-Fri and 8am-1pm Sat call Southwark Council 020 7525 2000 and make a noise complaint. If it happens make a note of every occurenace. The noise team should be on site within 45minutes.

Another method is to cycle. The only time I've ever felt worried cycling was 10 years ago with a puncture in the depths of Finsbury at 3am. Quickest puncture repair ever.

Hmmm. We provided the property marking kits in response to research showing the victims home and area around a burglary is more likely to be burgled during the following 3 months. Vacinnating that area with property marking kits has seen a reduction in East Dulwich ward burglaries of 55%. Equally the first 6 months of living at a new address more likely to be burgled.

we provided the The East Dulwich Police Safer Neighbourhood Team with 500 personal alarms for East Dulwich ward residents. I'd be amazed if you ever needed to use one in East dulwich but just knowing you have it to hand late at night walking home would probably make you feel safer. Please do contact them if you'd like one: 020 8721 2447 or 07920 233912

Correction the contact details for the East Dulwich safer Neighbourhood Team are:020 8721 2447 and 07920 233912

Southwark Council waste centre is at Manor Place near the Elephant & Castle. This is a very constrained site with a railway line through the middle of it. Last Tuesday Southwark Council granted planning permission for a new integrated Waste Management Centre to be buuilt where the old gas works on the Old Kent Road used to be - more or less opposite the junction with Commercial Way. This site will enable recyclnig to go above 50% and a whole host of other recycling options. But for now the East Dulwich cllrs have allocated Cleaner, Greener, Safer to support the SNUB team creating a local food waste scheme largely focused on Lordship Lane businesses. Fingers crossed the pilot is a huge success.

I'm really sorry to hear about this. If you live on the parts of Goodrich Road in East Dulwich ward ie. to the west if Dunstan's Road you can ask the East Dulwich Police Safer Neighbourhood Team for a free Selectadnaproperty marking kit. We've provided 1,000 such kits to the local East Dulwich Police which make stealing property utterly pointless. You'll have been told that once burgled you have a higher chance of a repeat burglary. So please do toughen up your property and tell your neighbours as they are now also at an increased risk of burglary as the burglar will think they know the internal layouts.

Hi ruthmct, I'm sorry ot hear you've had problematic rubbish collections. When you're not happy let me know when/where [email protected] Just bringing out wheelie bins the night before and taking the mback in after collections is ideal. I've sometiems forgotten to put them out and the guys have been really good about fetching them out for me. That's my level of expectation of helpful service.

Hi Amelie, Indeed our housing stock mostly built in East Dulwich 100 years ago wasn't designed for wheelie bins or indeed the expectation of so much rubbish. In many cases the standard 240L bins are overly big for many homes. If you'd like a smaller 180L wheelie bin call 020 7525 2000 and ask to swap. These smaller bins are much easier to move around and store away from pavements.

Hi Jeremy, Sorry its taken some time. Lots of head scratching on this one. You've asked can we improve the recycling services for fluroscent light bulbs - especially taking into account that 100W incandescent light bulbs are no longer allowed. Spent Fluorsecent light tubes, sodium lamps, PC and TV screens are classified as hazardous waste and must be disposed of correctly. I spoken with council officers and having one central collection point at Manor Place with devolved collection points around the borough, as we do with non-car battery collections in Libraries and other council buildings, isn't possible at this time. Collecting such fluroscent CFL bulbs would involve them getting smashed and releasing gases and potentially mercury OR would involve big collection boxes. So they need to be 'dropped' into the Manor Place depot. For larger items such as TV and PC screens we offer a bulk collection service via 020 7525 2000. I've spoken with CFL and tube recycling companies and the smallest collection containers they provide are for hundreds of bulbs and tubes at a time. I've yet to find something on a more local scale. Saying that I'd love to pilot one collection box... However, if anyone can think of a way of collecting Fluorsecnt lightbulbs locally such that they would'nt ever get smashed I'd love to hear from them.

I've checked and the no.12 bus contract ends November 2011 when it will be renegotiated with double decker buses replacing bendy buses. Terminating this contract early would apparently be punitive.

I'm surprised at the suggestion that this shop site will be a Sainsburys local. Somerfield recently applied and obtained an alcolhol licence. It would seem surprisng if Somerfield/Coop had sold this site/option. If it is Sainsbury's they need to apply for an alcohol licence which I would be notified of and have'nt.

Love me or hate me if you have any East Dulwich or Southwark issues I'm hear to do my best at trying to help. [email protected] A retired blind resident visited me at Thursdays surgery and related how guide dogs for the blind are great but they just can't be trained to avoid every over hanging bush, tree or side step wheelie bins on pavements. He'd just been released from Kings Hospital after falling over a wheelie bin and into a Holly bush. His request was what can be done? While we ponder how to encourage more consideration from residents to avoid this.... If you have an over grown front bush/tree please chop 'em back. If you can please keep wheelie bins and recycling boxes from the pavements. If you are not able to manage your front garden - let me know we do have services to assist infirm residents. The happy side affect of all this. Unkempt gardens and general untidyness say an area is not cared for and plenty of research shows a magnet for anti social behaviour of other kinds.