James Barber

Several posts have asked for a Controlled Parking Zone free for residents. Controlled Parking Zones cost money to run. Roughly 50% of households in Southwark do not own or run a car. It would clearly be unfair for those without cars to subsidise the running costs of a Controlled Parking Zone via Council Tax for those with cars. Hence the need to charge. The current charge is ?91 per annum. In the survey we've asked residents to tell us whether they think it should be related to CO2 emissions or not. What do you think? Regards james barber Liberal Democrat councillor for East Dulwich www.jamesbarber.org.uk

I understand that today the Labour government Post Office closures programme proposed hit list is released. That one of the East Dulwich Post Offices, the one on Melbourne Grove, is on that Labour hit list. Needless to say all three Liberal Democrat councillors Richard Thomas, Jonathan Mitchell and myself are against this community vandalism. What do you think? cllr James Barber www.jamesbarber.org.uk

Sorry I haven't answered some of the queries about the East Dulwich Liberal Democrat Parking Survey. We've been busey finding out which Post Offices are being proposed for closure. So far we have delivered parking surveys to 2,000 homes in East Dulwich - so yes we still have 3,500 more homes to visit. No we can't deliver them in a few days as some people expect as all the work is done by local councillors and volunteers who have day jobs and families. It will take 4-6 more weeks of evening and weekend work to distribute them all. Streets that I know we have delivered to include: Melbourne Grove, Derwent Grove, Grove Vale (south side), Elsie Road, Tingatel Crescent, Zenoria Street, Oxonian Street, East Dulwich Road, Lordship Lane, Tell Grove, Matham Grove, Ashbourne Grove, Chesterfield Grove, Bassano Street, Blackwater Street, Spurling Road, Crawthew Grove, Worlingham Road, Frogley Road, Nutfield Road, Archdale Road, Lacon Road, Crystal Palace Road (NW side). To re iterate we have no axe to grind for or against Controlled Parking Zones. We are responding to many resident queries, especially near to East dulwich station, and we wont to find out what people want. IF majority who respond want one then we will seek a full formal survey.

To reiterate what Cllr Richard Thomas posted earlier. All three East Dulwich Lib Dem councillors have been repeatedly contacted by residents complaining about problem parking in East dulwich especially near to East Dulwich station and Lordship Lane. Hence the survey asking for peoples views. We know that four years ago people were pretty evenly split on this issue. We've ensured our survey makes it clear what a permit currently costs and asks whether residents would want parking permits based on CO2 emissions. IF the survey results show the majority of residents in an area do want Controlled Parking we would seek a formal Controlled Parking Zone review. Money from the developer for a formal review was agreed as part of the Planning Gain Section 106 agreement for 72 Grove Vale. Regards cllr james barber

Several questions that I can answer. The lease for the new Grove Vale Library will be 125 years at a peppercorn rent of ?100 pa. A tiny fraction of what is currently being paid. I anticipate that the savings will enable the library to increase from being open 4 days a week to 6 days per week. It will take 6 months to finalise all the zillions of details that now have to be resolved post Planning Application approval. It would then take 18 months to build the site and a further 1-3 months to fit out the library.

The planning inspector could allow Cafe Nero to trade with no conditions, set conditions about sound proofing the aircon condensing units, condition removal or relocating the aircon units, close Cafe Nero with a timescale for closure. Cafe Nero gave contradictoroy evidence that its aircon was essential for the sites use as a cafe with seating. They also said they didn't need the aircon. You can imagine how hard it has been for council officers to deal with such shifting sands. Hope that helps. NB. My wife and children love going to Cafe Nero.

I'm sorry think me prejudiced. I've formed this view after hearing a day of evidence yesterday. A year ago when I sat on the planning committee I was expecting to approve the planning application. The failure for the applicant to attend and answer questions, the oral evidence of officers and the obvious suffering of residents swayed the committee to unamously to vote for refusal. I've never need to a planning committee where the applicant or applicants agent failed to show. Weird behaviour.

But for two years they've known they have been destroying neighbouring residents lives - how many people shouldn't get any sleep before before a coffee shop anti social behavoiour is stopped - 1, 10, 100? The council has no mechanism that I'm aware of for issuing a fine. The council issued an enforcement notice. Caffe Nero could have talked to neighbours, sorted the problem out and pulled the rug from under the council officers legs. Instead it appears to want to make an example of Southwark to frighten other councils into not ensuring residents rights to family life and peace and quite are upheld. Cafe Nero gave evidence that it would cost them ?5,000 to solve the noise problem. They sepnt considerably more than that delaying the problem. Their actions would be considered at the very least by most as being wholely unreasonable. All three East Dulwich Liberal Democrat councillors - cllr Richard Thomas, cllr Jonathan Mitchell and I will defend residents rights to our utmost. I hope 'nutty' that you never have a noise situation such as that caused by Cafe Nero.

For clarity I found the data on the Metropolitan Police website: http://www.met.police.uk/crimestatistics/ I saved the data as an excel file and spent Sunday evening reviewing what I found. The three East Dulwich cllrs Richard Thomas, Jonathan Mitchel and myself will feed the stats into conversations with the East Dulwich Safer Neighbourhood Team and what they think we need to help find money for to help further reduce crime levels.

As one of the three Liberal Democray councillor for East Dulwich I spent today at the Cafe Nero appeal. The day was especially long listening to all the legalise. As one of the councillors who took the original decision to refuse planning permission I was keen to follow it through to thep lannig inspectors decision. Originally I had expected to grant planning permission way back then in early 2007. But on the night neither the applicant nor agents bothered to attend. We heard clear evidence that Cafe Nero as a cafe would reduce the number of shops on Lordship Lane to below 50%. We also heard how Cafe Nero had installed loud anti social airconditioning condenser units 1 metre from neighbouring residents bedroom windows that come on repeatedly 24/7. So during the last two years what have Cafe Nero done to solve neighoburing residents noise nightmares. Have they knocked on a residents door to talk through their problems - no, not once. Have they phoned a resident - no, not once. Have they responded to residents emails arranging to visit - no, you've guessed it not once. Nope, today they spent today suggesting residents imagine being woken up repeatedly at night time! As a person who believes in fair trade and ethical purchasing I wont be a customer of Cafe Nero. Are you?

Tuesday 22 January the main Planning Committee approved a scheme on this site for 22 flats 1,2 and 3 bedroom flats PLUS a new Grove Vale library double the size of the current one. My expectation would be the new library opening 6 days a week, hosting adult education, supporting school visits and lots more study desks for kids doing home work. I have been talking with the applicants and council officers for two years about such a scheme and am delighted my idea for a new Grove Vale community library now has planning permission. All going well it will open January 2010. As a user of the current Dulwich Garden Centre I will be sad to see it go. But for several years they have been talking with developers about schemes - so it seems ineviatable and this is the best possible scheme for this end of Grove Vale. The alternatives would have involved something like a Tesco metro or Sainsbury's local sucking the remaining life out of Grove Vale businesses.

Hi Warren, I'm one of the East Dulwich councillors. I'm afraid East Dulwich keeps me busy enough without trying to keep tabs of issues in College Ward. I'm just back from holiday and have a zillion things to catch up regarding East Dulwich. So no I can't confirm or deny that your road will get new street lighting this financial year. If in a fortnights time you still have concerns let me know ([email protected]). Regards james barber