dc

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There's a link to the story about the Secretary of State for Health's visit this week which you can see undoctored - if you'll forgive the pun here: Tessa Jowell and Health Secretary at Dulwich Hospital It is entirely disingenuous for Amina Graham to state that Tessa has not been active on this issue given the historical evidence on her website - including a survey returned to her by some 900 local people as part of her contribution to the consultation last year: Tessa Jowell consultation response I would not like to be accused of 'hijacking' the Forum for political ends (I have been a regular if unprolific contributor on a variety of subjects over the past three years), so I would just point out that my own contribution on the other thread was in response to a somewhat vituperative post by 'm7post' to a letter circulated on behalf of my fellow Labour candidates and me in Village Ward which actually made no mention of the hospital original 'm7post' post here - my contributions further down the thread. Ditto this thread where some statements have been made that really cannot be allowed to go uncorrected. Duncan Chapman

m7post Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Dear Duncan - very good - I Look forward to ( if you're elected) joining those efforts then. Very kind Martin. I may be slightly ahead of myself having not been elected yet but I was at the hospital for a meeting with senior PCT people, Tessa Jowell and the Secretary of State for Health on Wednesday. Tessa describes the meeting as 'tough-talking' and it was certainly that: Tessa Jowell and Health Secretary at Dulwich Hospital

I have been asked to point out - by the person who thought them up - that all my material is copyright "The Jowell Office" and part of their classic "quatro formaggi" series - which I hope provides at least some little comfort to fellow 'lefty' and alternative dc, D_C.

thebestnameshavegone Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I just can't understand why anyone would even consider shopping at a supermarket without its own manifesto. The Co-op movement has a political arm too - the Co-operative Party - which has its own manifesto: Co-op manifesto Next!

Awwww I'm touched. And there's more: How do you talk a cheese down from the edge of a cliff? Caerphilly What cheese would you use to hide a horse? Mask a pony Umm.... that's it

What cheese do you use to entice a grizzly? Come on bear.

The pledges are just shorthand. There's a huge amount of policy detail here: pledges, policies etc

Apologies to quids who will no doubt find this boring but I have been asked to respond so I will. Martin, I've worked with both Lambeth and Southwark PCTs - and I would argue, as I did in my earler contribution on this thread, that the difference in their delivery on projects such as this is the level of engagement with the PCT by the local authority. In Lambeth this assumption of responsibility is high. Locally elected representatives and the council work closely with the PCT and get things done. In Southwark this is not the case. I have already made the argument that the local authority has by far the most influence on the PCT (Chief Exec. of Southwark PCT = Chief Officer of Southwark etc). Lambeth PCT are operating under exactly the same financial model so it's not good enough to blame 'the government' as you do. I am aware that Tessa Jowell has tried her darndest to get the PCT to deliver this project (multiple meetings with the PCT, NHS London, Ministers, contributing to consultations, surveying residents etc). But there has been no engagement at all from those who run the council - they do appear to just shout abuse from the sidelines, blame everyone else and do absolutely nothing of practical value. By way of demonstration here's the NHS Lambeth: 'Building for the future' section on their website The two examples I would give, from the large number detailed, that epitomise the good working relationship between the local authority and the PCT in Lambeth are Gracefield Gardens and Norwood Hall - note the latter was kicked off by receiving Lambeth Council Cabinet approval as recently as Sept. 2009 so the argument that there's now 'no money' doesn't wash - there's just no ambition and no drive in Southwark. Hence its position as being officially, according to the Audit Commission, the worst council in inner London. So, Martin, in response to the question in your final paragraph, if elected I will take responsibilty for the current debacle, work with Tessa, with colleagues on a (hopefully) Labour controlled Southwark Council and with the PCT to kick-start the stalled process in relation to the Dulwich Hospital site. If nothing improves I will see it as a personal failure but I can assure you that it will not be for want of trying - which is more than can be said for the current crop of ineffective buck-passers who allegedly 'run' the council. Hope that helps, Duncan

He started it!! ;-)

Perhaps I can respond as one of the co-authors of the letter that appears to have caused a bit of a stir? Our letter did not mention Dulwich Hospital (of which see below). It mentioned some positive things Labour would do for Southwark residents and pointed out the LibDem/Tory record since they took control of the council in 2002: - The third worst council tax collection rate in the country. - The sixth worst recycling rate in the country. - Being among just eight councils in the country rated as worst for adult health and social care at a time when they have inter alia put 50% on the cost of meals on wheels leading to a huge drop in uptake. - The worst performance of all inner London councils according to the Audit Commission. On the issue of Dulwich Hospital, since it has been raised, it is important to note that PCT's are effectively independent bodies charged with taking appropriate decisions at a local level. The elected body that has the most influence on them is the Local Authority - a clue to this being the fact that the Chief Executive of Southwark PCT is also one of Southwark's Chief Officers. The main mechanism by which they can be held to account is through the Scrutiny Committee of Southwark Council (chaired by the majority administration). I am afraid that councillors in charge of Southwark never use this route and simply seem to stand at the sidelines, shout abuse and blame 'the government' - I guess it takes less effort than actually doing anything. By way of contrast, in Lambeth, where the PCT and the council work closely together, joint facilities have been delivered in partnership with more on the way - a leisure/health centre in Norwood for example. Incidentally, whilst our council has gone into reverse, Lambeth has gone from an Audit Commission rating of 1 star to 3 stars (out of 4) since Labour took over the administration 4 years ago. Duncan Chapman - Labour Candidate in Village Ward

Might be the same as this: Sea Master Rickmansworth - the frontage certainly matches that on the plans lodged with Southwark. Seems to highly rated - awards etc.

Sue Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > But Indian food isn't all about "curries", is surely the point?? Spot on. If it is turned into something like the restaurants around Drummond Street it will be a fantastic addition and very different from anything available at present.

They do some Sunday deliveries in the run up to Christmas and have extended delivery office hours for people who need to pick up undelivered items.

Bic Basher Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I imagine the majority of the Tory/Lib Dem vote for this seat will come from Dulwich with Labour the majority in the Lambeth wards. For what it's worth I posted these figures last year: Votes for the GLA Member for Lambeth & Southwark in East Dulwich Ward - 1st May 2008: Lab Tory LibDem Green East Dulwich 37.0% 18.1% 24.0% 14.4%

I'm trying not to be cynical here but the LibDem 'petition' seems to be just a way for them to capture email adresses so that they can bombard you in the future with propaganda. In order to sign up to the petition you must provide an email address - to them - before they will even bother to register your concern on the issue. Very different from scrawling your name on a petition sheet in a local shop etc. Shame because this is an issue that would benefit from genuine, honest, cross-party interest.

I'm trying not to be cynical here but the LibDem 'petition' seems to be just a way for them to capture email adresses so that they can bombard you in the future with propaganda. In order to sign up to the petition you must provide an email address - to them - before they will even bother to register your concern on the issue. Very different from scrawling your name on a petition sheet in a local shop etc. Shame because this is an issue that would benefit from genuine, honest, cross-party interest.

Yes, sorry Keef. I'm afraid it was all a bit of a Blur having just got back from Hyde Park at the time :-$

Keef Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- I'm not trying to "diss" G&B and "these people are pretentious knobs in my view" That's just constructive criticism I suppose?

Marmora Man Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ditto for education Again - spot on. My post from last year: Here's a like-for-like GCSE comparison 1995 to 2007 (remember these have a comprehensive intake): Dulwich High School for Boys (previously William Penn) 1995 11% of pupils attained 5 A* to C Now The Charter School 2007 61% of pupils attained 5 A* to C Kingsdale 1995 6% of pupils attained 5 A* to C 2007 59% of pupils attained 5 A* to C All that money on the NHS and Education wasted and nothing has improved at all since 1997 - certainly not MM's rather selective memory at any rate.

Marmora Man Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The NHS has not been transformed Absolutely true. In 1997 the maximum waiting time was '18' months (and the rest for cataract and hip replacements) from when you actually made it onto a hospital waiting list to when you received treatment. Today the maximum waiting time from the day you first see your GP to receiving appropriate hospital treatment is '18' weeks. The '18' has not been transformed at all. Yib yib, gurgle gurgle, I'm a banana.

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I've bigged up FM before and whilst 'reasonable hours' might be a factor (PixxaHut are obliging in this respect), I think that what the pizza actually tastes like is just a tad relevant. A wood fired oven on Melbourne Grove would truly be a case of Franco Trovato? Not holding my breath though.

Not bothered by most of it but: "we live in such shit surrounded by scum" demonstrates a certain lack of respect for... well... everything and everybody.

But the Borough Commander has confirmed that they won't close it without opening a replacement - one that maybe doesn't have space for the horses that haven't been there for five years - and they also plan to open another office further south in the borough towards Crystal Palace Parade.