Amelie

There seems to be an increasing amount of light pollution in East Dulwich, with many commercial premises leaving their lights and/or illuminated shingles switched on when they have ceased trading for the day. Could our Councillors state whether or not LB Southwark has a policy regarding light pollution, and whether or not there is a possibility of a local bye-law being introduced requiring commercial premises to 'switch off' at the end of the day. It would also be useful to know if the new streetlamps which are being (very) slowly introduced in East Dulwich focus their light downwards rather than upwards, and whether their lamps are white rather than yellow.

If you think the post here is bad you should read the thread about it on the SE1 Forum. My gripe is the time of day when things are delivered, and where they are left sometimes. The other night I came home after dark, we don't have a proximity light, and I saw one parcel stood on end in the 'porch' only because it was too big to miss; but I didn't see the other one because it had been tucked under the doormat. Amazon very nearly sent me a duplicate delivery as a result, fortunately I found the parcel in the morning and was able to cancel the duplicate.

I cannot believe that a vicar of all people removed a war memorial with the names of the men who had fallen in World War I, that is an absolute disgrace. Along with moving the memorial, which I agree with, I would be happy to contribute to a fund to recreate this memorial and also place it at High Wood. I was unable to attend 'our' memorial service as I was attending the service held at my Inn of Court where the City of London Yeomanry are based. It is true that having members of the military attend does make a real difference. Would anyone like to volunteer to hold the 'bank' or could the barracks perhaps set up a bank account for donations?

I heard it over Belvoir Road as well, at least 3 outbreaks of excessive and unnecessary use of overly-loud sirens and then the police helicopter joining in just for the hell of it.

I have to say I find these planning applications a little odd from time to time, there was an application to turn 2 Lordship Lane into a dental surgery but according to the Land Registry the applicants were not the owners of the site. I could not understand how someone who didn't own the property was permitted to make a planning application to change its use. If the owner of Dulwich Garden Centre is not interested in selling who has made the application and by what right?

The owner of Fabric 205 told me that PP had offered to buy his premises, but as his family have owned it fo 30 years PP got a very dusty answer.

@ Allfornun Councillors are answerable: to the Local Government Ombudsman; to the Audit Commission and to the HQ of their applicable political party. Most importantly they are answerable to the press. Can I suggest that you write to some/all of the above?

I think I have seen her twice in Belvoir Road, she's very shy and I couldn't persuade her to make friends. I think it was her I saw on Saturday afternoon. If I see her again I'll let you know.

I have been running into constant delays at Forest Hill and received a very apologetic email from Southern in response. I have complained about the buses to the respective companies and TfL before; not much in the way of reply sadly.

Screaming foxes and/or cats in Belvoir Road last night, very vocal. It reminded me of that sketch by Jasper Carrott, of the zoo's panda being intimdated by the rabbits who were chanting 'Easy! Easy!' at him.

This may sound like stating the obvious, but the manager/owner of the Sea Cow is a really nice chap why don't you tell him directly what the problems with his food are rather than on a forum that he may not read?

If you read the newspapers from the 17/18/19 centuries you will find the stories are exactly the same, only the names have changed. The Daily Mail has many equally inglorious ancestors, who whipped up such a frenzy of public fear of crime that it resulted in the passing of the Waltham Black Act - a statute which contained 32 separate capital (i.e. death penalty/transportation) offences. There is not general lawlessness in Britain, crime is much better reported by the authorities which makes people think there is more of it. There is a problem with petty red tape which makes dealing with actual crime more difficult. Equally there is a lack of original thinking, which leads to idiotic situations like Camilla Batmangelidj (spelling?) having to write to 1000s of benefactors to keep her place going for the benefit of traumatised children, with the police begging her to stay open longer, and then some idiot at the Home Office decides to cut her grant. Looking at East Dulwich/Peckham/Camberwell there are no youth clubs, I can't remember the last time I saw the Scouts or Brownies actively recruiting, there is almost nothing for young people to do to keep themselves occupied and their minds stretched. Ironic coming from someone who has no children I know, but I have some sympathy with kids roaming the streets looking for entertainment as there is bugger all else for them to do.

Tessa has today sent round her personal newsletter, the timing is interesting but may be purely coincidental. It opens with "Working for you in Dulwich & West Norwood. Tessa Jowell is well known as a hard-working local MP who responds effectively to the issues and concerns raised by constituents and local community groups. She has been the Member of Parliament for Dulwich and West Norwood since the constituency was created in 1997. Tessa thinks it is very important to keep in touch with local residents and to represent them properly - locally and nationally. This is one of her regular reports. Tessa is in contact with thousands of local people every year and will take up any legitimate issue or concern - big or small. You can contact Tessa using the details on the back of this report." Then there is a scan of a letter from Tessa, an article about new schools e.g. Elmgreen in West Norwood, a possible new school in Brixton and the attempts to get a new boys' school in ED. This is followed by articles and photos of Dulwich Hamlet FC, 'mobile surgeries', 'youth summits' in West Norwood, advice sessions, the Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams, campaigning for a new community hospital in Dulwich, being patron of the local PELO, the future of Upper Norwood Library, Southwark achieving Fairtrade status and the 'Dulwich Going Greener' group. Then there are the contact details.

I was with ntl and am now with Virgin, there is a problem with broadband if someone sends you an email over a certain MB size - it won't download and you have to delete it from their server. There are also persistent problems with the signal from Channel 4 and Hallmark: pixillation, sound blackouts, picture freezing. Other than that they are not too bad, and will even come out on a Sunday to fix a problem.

Agree completely about the sausage rolls. Divine!

I wish whoever owns the CPT would sort out the exterior wood and paintwork, it looks terrible.

I am not sure that the lady who lives next to William Rose has any legal right to make such demands, the pavement is public not private property.

I would like a shop that sells PC hardware so that I don't have to spend ages on a bus to Catford or the Old Kent Road.

Has anyone else seen this? http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2007/08/20/is-this-the-baddest-council-in-britain-89520-19660975/ and if you think this is bad you should read the 15 pages of complaints about Nick Stanton on the London SE1 forum. I haven't reprinted any of it here because our beloved Administrator has enough problems with lawyers looking over his shoulder.

Very sorry but I will not be able to join the party. Have fun!:)-D

Try comments@southernrailway.com, I complained about the state of Forest Hill station and they replied fairly promptly. Whether any improvements will materialise is another question but they did reply.

I think it is actually West Dulwich that has the real problem with subsidence because it is on the Effra flood plain, we used to live in Croxted Road when I was a child and we had French windows that opened onto the garden via a flight of granite steps. You could watch the steps sinking into the ground incrementally over the years. The house is now a doctor's surgery and I would love to know if the steps have disappeared completely.

Write to the solicitors' senior partner and tell him/her that if they don't produce the paperwork within x days you will report them to the Law Society.

Anyone with questions about insurance cover should phone the Association of British Insurers, I am fairly certain they provice advice over the phone. The regulatory body for insurers is the General Insurance Standards Council.

I can't believe the people who are supporting Ken Livingstone; he has been dreadful as Mayor. His Congestion Charge is a failure, he interferes for no good reason in planning policies without regard to the local community, he treats the Assembly with contempt and refuses to disclose discussions with contractors despite the fact they they are being paid with public money. Boris for Mayor!!