James Barber

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 (james.barber@southwark.gov.uk). Regards james barber