worldwiser

They responded after roughly 20 business days to say the person dealing with the request was still trying to locate the information. Then total radio silence until last week. I requested an internal review which wasn't addressed and sent 2 further reminders. I then stopped caring enough to persist. Which doubtless was their hope all along. Clearly they don't abide by legislation because there's no penalty. James, I look forward to whatever you discover. Including finding out what incompetent functionary took so long to look up a spreadsheet and make a phone call.

Recycling centre on Old Kent Road between Access Storage and Iceland

freecycle.org You'd be amazed what people can make use of.

Ok.. a mere 15 weeks after making the FOI request, we finally have some responses. They didn't even apologise or explain the delay. I've cut and pasted into my original request (marked >>) but the headlines are: -Southwark thought this was an excellent way to spend 150-190k (not sure which is the actual figure) -No-one other than Conway was asked to quote for this because they're currently the contractor for everything -They delivered the project 10 weeks late on a 3.5 week job. 2015 Renovation of the entrance to North Cross Road, SE22 - FOI Request dated 02.10.2015 Specifically I would like information on the following areas: 1. The overall total and final cost of this specific scheme of works to include all consultation, design and final build costs. >>The overall budget was ?190k and. the estimated costs were ?140,881.96 2. The original quotation cost for these works. Explanation for any difference. >>The spend was ?147,577.89, a slight overspend of ?6,695.93, but under budget ups and downs were * Design under estimate ?183.71 * Road Safety Audit under estimate ?300.00 * Consultation overspend of ?846.00 (this was not in original estimate hence overspend) * Traffic order costs overspend of ?1000 * Relocation of signal equipment overspend ?5,333,64 3. To which contractors this work was put out to tender and what the quoted costs returned were from each. >>The Works was carried out under our Highway and Professional Services Contract, the successful Contractor was ConwayAecom. This is a term contract for maintenance and project works. 4. The original length of time allowed for these works to be carried out, as estimated either by the successful contractors or the council, prior to their inception. >>The works were planned to start on the 13 July and be completed on the 7 August. The works actually started on 27 July and completed on the 14 October 5. The reasons for why this project was part-suspended or delayed mid-way through. Any implications to the final cost resulting - whether up or down. >>The works were delayed as our Works Contractor had difficulties with it suppliers, which resulted in works starting on site but not being able to continue due to the non availability of materials. This has no effect on the costs to the project or\Council. The works are carried out under a schedule of rates, not days rates. 6. To what extent landlords of the adjoining retail premises along Lordship Lane were asked if they'd be willing to contribute or participate in the scheme. What, if any, consideration was given to replacing the full width of pavement within the bounds of the works (this request acknowledges that only part is in public ownership). Were any discussions held or attempts made to agree an acceptable division of costs in order to achieve a renovation of the entire pavement width. What were the results of those attempts? Or if no attempts were made, the reasons for this. >>A public consultation was carried out, which included the frontages (shops) no requests were received to do works on private land.

We went to a place in Bromley and didn't pay anything near that (but admittedly they were made in China..) http://www.shuttersup.co.uk/

Wonderful - look forward to it. Very best of luck!

A post of mine from 2014.. this will have changed a little but not materially: There are only 23 chains in the immediate ED area (ie from Sainsburys to the Townley Clinic and incl. Northcross Road and Melbourne Gv) not including banks or the post office or charity shops. This out of a total of 216 units of all sizes in that same zone. Therefore the current rate of chains is 10.6%. If you get rid of the very large units, it's only 17 or 7.8%.

Delighted with the outcome, a testament to persistence. And mathematics. Sue, I imagine it wouldn't have been so funny had it not been a rental car that I was using for work. And the fact that two days later a very identifiable Hovis truck crashed into the same spot. So we let them fix it.

Perhaps, but when you've purchased a licence to place the skip outside your house you are at least buying priority. You can park your car anywhere for free but that's not true of a skip.

This reminds me of the time a motorist crashed into my parked car and left me a note which read, 'I'm writing you this note so people think I'm leaving you my number. Which as you can see I'm not.'

Interesting. It's been some years since we lived up there but Parkhurst Rd always used to have a stretch of unrestricted parking. I know this because there was a short period when I had to find parking for a second car and Islington refuses second parking permits. Still don't understand why ED is such a unique and special case that it's this tiny island of free parking in a sea of CPZs all around it. But then I risk going off my own thread. Which I suppose we've already done.

Indeed. And in the entire borough of Islington there's only one 300m stretch of road where that wouldn't apply.

Thanks again for replies. We'll hopefully be done within 2 weeks and, aside from the skip company, there won't be any lorries. Not to shoot myself in the foot, but Southwark don't do themselves any favours by charging so little for the licence. Only 66 quid per month! Most councils charge by the day (eg Islington 57/day + 85) thus providing a powerful incentive to get the waste ready and picked up very quickly. Another major benefit if any more were needed from having a CPZ!! (cue howls of disapproval)

Appreciate your suggestions. Thing is, only doing it from the day before puts a huge amount of pressure on because you can't cancel the skip at that point. So a skip is coming whether you like it or not and the goodwill of people isn't guaranteed. I know most of my immediate neighbours and rarely are they able to park so close to home. Cars on our street regularly go unmoved for days and the skip companies charge you whether or not a delivery is made. Meantime, the time on the licence you've just paid for starts ticking. What I'm probably going to have to do is find a couple of friends' cars and try and get them to park outside in the week leading up. It is somewhat hilarious that this is the kind of thing one has to do!

I'm sure hundreds of people on here have faced this: The skip company applies for a licence which says the skip must be placed exactly outside your house and nowhere else. But the licence offers no right to use the space in which it must be located. Anywhere else in London, you could have a bay suspended for the day but in good old East Dulwich, that's not an option. I often see wheeliebins, planks, tape and cones being used in ED to block off space but the Met tell me this is illegal and I would be prosecuted. Can I ask, has anyone been prosecuted for this? Or faced any unpleasantness from drivers? And how much working space do you need for a builder's skip?

For some reason (what a shocker) the council are stalling without explanation on the FOI request. As soon as anything comes through, I'll post it here.

Looks like you got your wish: http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200557/peckham_and_nunhead_regeneration/3843/peckham_rye_park_and_common

Hope what they paid William Rose for permission to deface their frontage in post was worth it!

Your ability to summarise 70 pages of the thread in question is a credit to you.

TJ do tell us more..

Honestly the way the Council decides which roads to refurbish remains utterly opaque. There are dozens of roads in the area that require urgent attention and yet they're focusing on a stretch which is perfectly adequate for the time being. I recently asked them to tell me when our street was last done and they replied saying they didn't have any idea. If they don't keep logs of where our money is spent, no wonder the resurfacing is completely random.

They say it'll be finished in 5m, but why in the hell couldn't it wait until morning?!

Not wishing to minimise the inconvenience you've faced but this happened to me some time back and I think the sum total of effort required on my part was 5 minutes. Amazon cancelled the transaction, immediately refunded me and handled the police. In these cases the risks are all borne by the retailer and the banks. You are never likely to suffer any financial cost from this type of fraud. And knowing someone's got a posh telly with a tiny black market value is not a likely incentive for a burglary these days. I think the solution is to carry on living your life, be vigilant to a degree, but not be thrown into a mad panic. Thanks for the warning but I'll be leaving my amazon and other accounts as they are.

What exactly was misinterpreted?!