intexasatthe moment

Oh dear I don't seem to be making my point very well do I ? You had said " Good grief. The council does something for nothing and people complain about it ." I just thought ( still do ) that people shouldn't expect Southwark to cut their garden hedge for them and that saying such an action was for free missed the point that there is a cost involved . I must have missed your post where you say you pay your council tax and don't begrudge it . I thought ( obviously wrongly ) that your comment " I get feck all from the council for my ?1000+ a year "gave the impression that you saw council tax very much in terms of what you personally got out of it. However James has explained that Southwark seek to recover the cost of cutting hedges so hopefully this won't reduce monies available for other things like repairing roads and pavements . ( Which funnily enough aren't only used by my mother .) I mentioned my personal interest in negotiating pavements in response to another poster who I felt had implied that I might have a different view if I too experienced difficulties . And as you seem interested - I have no children at school ,don't live in council housing ,am not in receipt of home care or meals on wheels and I maintain my own garden . I do however benefit from living in a borough that does provide such services and this ,in turn ,benefits me personally .

Absolutely - will PM .

I'm inclined to agree with Sillywoman .

They're not EDMummy ,that's my point . My reference was to a few posts ( not all on this thread ,so I understand your confusion ) like this Oooh - don't complain. Saved me a job as the (shared) hedge was starting to take over the pavement. The council has my thanks for that little effort. I get feck all from the council for my ?1000+ a year, so it did make a nice surprise . Good grief. The council does something for nothing and people complain about it .

Well, lets hope you are not trying to push a buggy, walk with the aid of a walking stick/frame or are visually impaired trying to make it down some of our smaller streets! You hope away for what you want - one of my hopes would be that Southwark could spend some money on the pavements around my elderly mother's house so that when I'm pushing her in a wheelchair ,or when she's taking a few independent steps ,life isn't so fraught . Perhaps there would be more money available for such works if people weren't under the impression that it's a jolly freebie if Southwark cuts their privet hedge for them .

The council does something for nothing - sorry to be pedantic but Southwark is not doing something for nothing . There is a cost involved - and personally I'd rather that it wasn't added to my council tax.

Ladymuck - I picked up the leaflet advertising them from the Peckham branch ...so I guess the Peckham branch will have them . If I get the chance I'll pop in on Thurs and let you know .

Thanks for information ! On a different note - Lidls have the reflective spoke thingys back in from Thursday 19 May . ?3.99 for 36 .

Any helmet advice anyone ?

With some pushing my teenage son has resumed bike riding . He is currently using a standard MET cycle helmet but is hankering after something more ( in his eyes ) stylish - noteably a BMX style skid lid type ( not full face ). I'm keen to maintain his interest in cycling and helmet wearing but am worried that this may not offer adequate protection . Can anyone tell me whether a BMX helmet would offer adequate protection in the event of an accident on the road ? Should I be looking for a particular sticker denoting some standard ? May sound silly ,but posting in case relevant ,he has very large head and lots of thick hair .

Thanks for replies ,think cd-rom will be the way to go . Alan - PM on it's way !

Oh Woody that's just awful - heartbreaking to loose your dog ,but for it to happen like this is dreadful .

Can anyone advise on best method - download to PC ? ,buy CD rom ? Showing my complete ignorance I expect ,but any help welcomed . Will also do a search for recommended driving instructors ( for charming but lazy teenage boy ) - but hugely grateful if any spring to mind .

less successful schools nearby? - or one of these ?

Not that the school's success has anything to do with Cameron ,or his Government .

Thanks , but I think I'll reserve the right to lob my brickbats in a direction of my own choosing .

But Loz why should Southwark be involved in this type of work in the first place ?

Bleedin' Nora! We got off easy -- no TRIM OR DIE notices, just our front gardens whitewalled -- and no bills sent in afterward! - but still time for Southwark to track you down and make you parade outside Sainsbury's with my handcrafted sign " Guilty of hedge neglect and wasting tax payers monies " round your neck . :)-D

James - in the past I believe that Southwark would attend to the problem of vegetation overhanging public footpaths etc by cutting the offending vegetation back ( presumably after some prior warning to householder ) and then seeking to recover the cost from the householder/s . Could you tell me if this is still the case and how overhanging vegetation is dealt with now ? Surely it can't really be the case that if you happen to live near a park or area tended by Southwark that you get a " free " trim because workers are in the area ?

Oooh do you think Southwark will nip round to my back garden and trim my hedge for me ? I'm too lazy/can't be arsed and didn't realise that part of my council tax is spent on offering this service .

How odd ,I clicked on this thread expecting to read comments about "the Lounge " bit of the EDF ,but it's about General Ed issues etc section . Which ,yes I do find dull.

until 7pm as far as I know .

In the interests of the school ,the headteacher ,parents ,children ,PTA could we let this thread die ?

I agree with Bob's post but think that maybe the governor should be cut some slack - voluntary role with minimal training , carried out in spare time .

"Mind you, it seems to have been resolved now, so probably best to let it go."