legalalien

If you look at the report RoundTable linked to above it has a description on about page 5-6, primaries use TAs for whole class support, there are also some TAs used for targeted support. Thanks for posting by the way RT, I started reading it yesterday and looks interesting.

We didn?t have TAs when I was at school in the dark ages. Just 30-32 kids plus teacher. When did they get invented?

YY I agree with Artemis. I'm not anti LTN in principle, but I do think they can only work if they are properly /well designed (and that this inevitably requires local input, an engagement process that is not broken, and actual, local data rather than reliance on generalised studies). And also that the process/ speed of change needs to bring people along with it.

DKB can?t fin now, don?t think it was the most extensive survey ever and I agree with the point you make. Chatting to folk there is a difference between the two ideas as you suggest. I?m in favour of ULEZ expansion but do have some sympathy in specific circs eg those with wheelchair adapted vehicles that are ancient / non compliant but with minimal mileage on the clock.

I suspect many of the ignorant 43% are those with modern / obviously compliant cars who, when they heard something about it initially, quickly came to the view that it wouldn?t affect them and ceased to pay any attention thereafter (so then have no idea of timing and details). It?s good that they?ve written to registered owners of non- compliant vehicles, hopefully have done notices in multiple languages as well. Having said that I think there are a lot of people that don?t keep up with news much. Travelling along the south circular today, couldn?t help wondering just how many ULEZ zone signs they had to put in - there are 100s!!

That?s good (that you received the notice, not the non compliance obviously)

So - expanded ULEZ starts today - Sky reporting a survey saying 43% of motorists living in and near the expanded zone are unaware of it. Apparently there have been leaflets and also letters sent to those driving in the expanded zone recently. We haven?t received any - perhaps they?ve been targeted at those with non compliant vehicles? I imagine there will be loads of fines -?160 each (reduced to ?80 for early payment). Note also that the charging day for the ULEZ is midnight to midnight. So if you make a late night journey that starts before midnight and finishes after midnight you have to pay two days worth of charges as I read it (so ?25). (This is not an issue for the congestion charge as it operates 7am to 10pm). See https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/ulez-payments

Yes you can drive down Court Lane from LL at all times, similarly you can come from EDG into Townley and then Calton. However there are timed restrictions on Townley going in the Calton - Townley- EDG direction. And the ULEZ applies from today don?t, forget if you have a pre 2015ish or older petrol car. There is an item on Sky News this morning indicating that only 43% of motorists in and around the newly expanded ULEZ are aware it comes into force today - expect there will be loads of fines.

I think One Dulwich got it right tbh, as there was a real potential for the council to take a divide and conquer approach when interpreting the result. You may not appreciate it but there is a real lack of trust in council officers and councillors from those opposing the council?s plans, which I find completely rational on the evidence. It?s not faux outrage. I get that those in favour of the scheme may feel differently, there?s less incentive to analyse council processes with a fine tooth comb. Maybe we would have come to a better result by sitting around in a room without officers / councillors involved.

It?s downright weird behaviour but it?s consistent across the Labour councils. So probably head office policy rather than Southwark going off on a frolic?

The thing is Jen, that the permanent closure of the junction and Dulwich Square thing is what many of the opponents of the scheme are against. Turn that into a timed closure based on new timings, have a discussion about school holidays, some progress would likely be made pretty quickly. I think, anyway.

A couple of thoughts on the consultation issue - something I'm trying to get straight in my own head, particularly as I spent most of my formative years in another country where the role of local government is (but maybe wasn't historically) quite different. My expectation of local government is that it differs from central government in that it deals largely with local services and local issues and has a closer relationship with its constituency than central government does. I have an expectation that ward councillors represent constituents in council policy formation in a much more direct way than, for example, MPs do at Westminster. I expect local councillors to have more sway in very local issues than I expect MPs to do, as they operate at a more macro level. Is this just me or do other people feel the same? I get the impression that they do? Maybe views are split on this? Increasingly it seems that councils are becoming involved in/ trying to be involved in policy making that is more suited to a central government level - eg macro policies on climate change, active travel, probably other things. Councillors are whipped to follow national party lines. The statutory processes of consultation that apply to local government are much more suitable to the former model than to the latter model, as they're designed to give local people control over decisions that (just) affect local issues. They are not well designed to address higher level policy strategies. The argument that those in favour of the council's approach should be making (being generous here- devil's advocate and all that), is that everyone was given a chance to give input on the Movement Plan. Now that the Movement Plan is in place, it trumps/ limits the field for consultation on measures to implement the Movement Plan. In other words, the high level strategy (CPZs, get rid of cars) is no longer open for debate, local consultations on specific measures need to be viewed against that background. The problem I have is that the consultations/ engagement on the high level strategies have been (in my opinion) fairly inadequate and captured by organised lobby groups. So there isn't widespread resident buy in when the detailed local measures come to be considered. Is the system fixable/ improvable? And how?

And yes you can park on Gallery Road. There?s gate into the Gallery grounds from Gallery Road (the one with Belair Park).

Yes, you?re fine as long as not 8-10 or 3-6 on a weekday. That?s assuming you have a ULEZ complaint vehicle - the ULEZ comes in tomorrow.

I thought the quote stood OK on its own, but to see it in context it?s in Appendix 1 where officers respond to various resident objections. The Rotherhithe CPZ thing actually seems to encapsulate all my gripes about SC: - an initially poorly publicised consultation with a 2% response rate - questions structured to elicit desired responses (eg asked to choose from a range of controlled parking times, ?no zone? not offered as an option (you could only click ?other? and add ?no zone) - a lengthy delay, and then the three week statutory consultation done in the middle of the summer holiday - report contains mixed explanations for the introduction of the CPZ. Initially says ?The main objective of the Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks CPZ is to enable people to lead more active lives. This is achieved by providing better cycling and walking environments, while maintaining and improving their current quality of life through mitigating the effect any future developments will have on parking.? Then ?The aim of this project is to mitigate against future increases in parking stress due to upcoming developments and not against current parking stress.? And then ?The implementation of a new parking zone will benefit the local community by removing commuter parking and parking displaced from other nearby parking zones resulting in an overall increase in the number of parking spaces available to residents. Then later there?s a suggestion that the aim is to reduce parking and free up kerb space for other uses. (Some objections are to the fact that parking spaces are being out in places where there is no current parking) Some residents (I think correctly) see this as a response to the fact that the Council has given planning permission for big new developments without parking attached to them (their climate change policy etc), with the CPZ a back door way of providing parking for those buying property in the new developments. Residents identify gentrification occurring and predict that their young families will be forced out, which will cause schools to close. Officers seem a bit hostile / discernible feeling of ?we?re experts, we?ve decided what to do, this consultation / listening to residents is a right pain.? (That?s not an actual quote needless to say. Shades of Leo Pollack. Anyway, to bring things back to East Dulwich, given the council?s intention to roll out CPZs borough wide, keep an eye out for consultations when they come, read questions carefully - and if you are in a situation where you think you have an allocated park on an estate road / private road / shared area of some kind, dig out the paperwork for it sooner rather than later, I?d say. Loved the Orwell quote.

Looks like the residents in Rotherhithe are not so keen on the Southwark Highways Dept either https://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?Id=7466 Not sure what to think about this kind of attitude to comments made during consultation on the Rotherhithe CPZ proposals. "The extent of the CPZ is considered to be correct having due regard to the extent that parking dispersion occurs when space is at a premium. It would be very difficult for residents to have knowledge of how additional developments in Southwark can directly affect them, until after the changes occur of course. They then see changes associated from the new development as time passes, and how the advantages of the CPZ will provide them with parking spaces. The layout and extent of the area was given extensive thought by officers and members, prior to any engagement occurring and the zone area being developed." ie basically residents know nothing about their area, we are right, they will see. What's the point of consultation then?

Hmm. Sounds like my (ii) or (iii) above then?

I?m going to guess either (i) something to do with social care or (ii) the kind of exemptions for residents on school streets that it looks like Waltham Forest has (labelled things like SC1, SC2 etc - see https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/schoolstreets), or (iii) Southwark has considered (ii) and decided not to but left a ref in the TMO by mistake. Disclaimer - haven?t looked at the TMOs yet. Jb112jb are you on a school street?

Yes one of the cast members from there I think. Interesting article from the Times Where to buy in Peckham https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/29833dc0-2d03-11ec-9657-60f46274c249?shareToken=d370f81c0a8a2a87fec3209316c80844

Maybe ring around some of the local pubs and see whether they have an upstairs room for free or cheap during hours they are closed?

Just out of interest (not to make any particular point), what have class sizes been in England historically? I think they are around 30 now? I was educated overseas and our standard class size was 30-32 (one teacher per class - at least for primary and core secondary subjects), this was taken as a given and not really debated much / seemed to work OK. Have class sizes here increased over the years or have they also always been around this mark? (Obvs might be smaller in more remote spots, so thinking about maximums in populated areas)?

As Southwark say you can put shredded paper in your home compost bin (listed as an organic material) it makes sense they?d collect it in the brown bin https://www.southwark.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling/food-and-garden-waste/compost-at-home. But as the bin collectors probably don?t consult the Southwark website on this, probably best to ask them.. (Incidentally it says on that site you can buy a home compost bin from Southwark or get a free one if you are a community group or school, which I didn?t know).

Hadn?t heard of this and just put it on in the background. Quickly became obsessed by bus continuity ( no buses in initial shots and then at about 15 mins in onward there are blurry background glimpses now and then). If they filmed it all in advance and are now having to add in the occasional bus so it seems to be more real time, that must be a right pain for them. (I used to flat with a guy who advised film crews on weather continuity, it ruined me for life). Not going on my must watch list, but then I don?t watch TOWIE, MiC etc, def not the target audience!

Interesting about the sites. There was some mention at the scrutiny committee meeting about trying to keep any sites for community use/ so they?re potentially still there in case of future uptick in demand, but given the housing situation I?d imagine there?s a strong case for converting to housing. Although possibly closing a school and then having developers create expensive apartments (including some affordable housing commitment no doubt) wouldn?t be a very good look. Still theoretical at this stage as regards individual schools of course but there did seem to be a sense of inevitability that some primary schools would end up closing.

In case anyone is interested, there is a current consultation on public art in Southwark, with input going towards formulation of a policy on public art. Closes 10 November. https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/environment-leisure/public-art-in-southwark/ Worth filling in to give your views on the types of public art you?d like to see, and also who you think should be responsible for what public art is created and where it goes (for example, do you think experts / council should decide or should local residents be consulted etc). In this context public art includes events such as music and dance, not just static items. You can suggest particular things at particular locations if you want. Also there?s an option at the end to be put on the mailing list for future consultations on various unrelated topics as and when they happen.