legalalien

Update on the two Melbourne Grove barriers - now officially being made permanent after the temporary orders made at the end of the previous consultation. https://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IssueId=50029641&OptionNum=0 ETA - final report here https://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/documents/s108753/Report.pdf

This is quite an interesting article comparing payment rates in different areas across the country. https://www.lgcplus.com/finance/revealed-winners-and-losers-in-council-tax-rebate-race-and-why-22-08-2022/?utm_campaign=13424519_Key%20Issues%2024%20Aug%202022&utm_medium=email&utm_source=London%20Councils&dm_i=192K,7ZQFB,47DH9Q,WOLXK,1 Councils have been pushing to be allowed to simply credit the amount against council tax bills - simpler for them - but also, and unsaid - a great means of collecting council tax arrears as presumably the whole payment is then applied against any unpaid council tax rather than the recipient choosing what to use it for.

If it's "behind" the running track/ treeline on the far side of the running track (as opposed to the field directly abutting College Road) then it actually sounds like that might be the DPL fields rather than Dulwich College. DC has a page about use of sprinklers on their website https://www.dulwich.org.uk/about/sustainability , which explains the situation / guidelines and how they are deliberately not watering at the peak times of 8-10 or 5-9.

Same signs on EDG relating to both MG north and south apparently. I imagine delivery vehicles to Charter East and MG north residents might think twice about entering the road…

Agree re the difficulty of reporting - not so much because it's a multifield form but because I have to give them my personal data, which I don't want to do. There are two parked at varying angles across the footpath in my road this morning, about 20 metres from each other.

It’s this I think https://www.laingbuissonnews.com/healthcare-markets-content/news-healthcare-markets-content/totally-plc-secures-urgent-treatment-centre-contract/ Walk in urgent care centre for minor injuries, presumably designed to take pressure off A and E. Will see if I can find more details.

The oversupply of school places in Southwark was discussed at this week’s Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission - details at https://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=7373 including a link to the YouTube video of the meeting. It’s worth a watch. Council are now openly acknowledging that there is a problem and it’s implicit in what they say that there will have to be further school closures. Seems that GLA demographic projections for London have been way off the mark - but I do find it strange that councils seem to have followed those blindly without looking at their own admissions data... there is mention of the fact that they have been managing PAN reductions over the last ten years - why keep building schools if you are seeing numbers fall? Worth keeping an eye on the commission’s investigations. For example I’m mystified as to how Rotherhithe primary was recently rebuilt and expanded at great cost https://southwarknews.co.uk/news/education/albion-primary-rotherhithe-unveiled/ when it receives a fairly damning rating of its financial and operational controls https://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/documents/s107953/Internal%20Audit%20Annual%20Report%202021-22.pdf (page 37) and seems to be running with a significant annual financial deficit. Maybe the idea is that the new building will help it attract more pupils?

For info as likely to be a route used by ED residents: https://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IssueId=50029845&OptionNum=0 Apparently consultation done in Feb/ March 2020 with flyers to residents within 50m and something on the website - I think most people had other things on their mind! As I interpret the final drawings they’ve decided not to go for the floating bus stops that Southwark Cyclists were lobbying for, which as a pedestrian/ bus user I’m glad of as am not a big fan.

Hi all Thought many of you might be interested in the new batch of minor/ non strategic traffic notices https://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?Id=7684&LLL=0 They cover a wide range of local streets, things like extension of DYL to improve visibility/ stop entrance ways being blocked, the DYL and “blips” in Court and Calton, removal of disabled parking bays where the residents whose presence initially justified them are no longer there - and interestingly a few (I didn’t read them all) where residents are installing dropped kerbs and as a result applying to have the CPZ parking spot outside their property removed. Not sure whether that trend is to avoid having a parking permit, or possibly more likely to enable them to install an electric charger off street. I think someone flagged earlier the risk that people would start paving their front gardens as an unintended consequence of a switch to electric?

For anyone interested a big chunk of last night’s Council Assembly meeting covered bus cuts and the number 12 specifically, starting with a couple of deputations and then moving on to a debate. Inevitably some bits on the “central govt or TfL” fault issue but importantly the council is very much against the cuts. The meeting’s available on the Southwark YouTube channel.

Will just take us all a while to adjust to it, is all. I remember back when they upgraded mumsnet into a new format in the late 2000s - oh, the drama. At least this still has a home-grown feel, plus I like the green colour. Agree it would be good to have functionality showing when a post has been edited.

Bit more detail in this version https://tdpelmedia.com/couple-loses-court-case-over-a-minor-trespass The gender neutral clothing is at https://www.ourlittletribe.co.uk/pages/about-us. While completely on board with the idea of clothes that can be handed down, describing the tshirts etc as designed to ?transcend siblings? made me smile. The so-called ?banker? apparently works in regulatory reporting for a bank, so is unlikely to be minted, I can only begin to imagine what a nightmare this has been for her, having made what appears to have been a generous offer to settle.

This has been open since Feb and closes on 24 June, apologies if someone has posted already but I couldn?t see anything on it https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/children2019s-and-adults-services/disability-carers-service-service-user-questions/ Southwark Council wants to provide a new service offering Southwark residents, with a physical, sensory or learning disability, the following: Access to information, advice and support needed to help you with your disability A new way to connect with like minded disabled people and to access community based activities The aim is that disabled individuals, regardless of their disability, fully understand the local options for information, advice and support available to meet their specific needs. Why your views matter Why are we asking you to complete this questionnaire? Hearing the voice of disabled people is very important to Southwark Council. Feedback will help us: Understand what it is that residents with a disability want from a service Plan the best service possible to ensure that disabled people receive the best levels of support possible. There are separate questionnaires for carers and for service providers https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/children2019s-and-adults-services/disability-carers-service-carer-questions/ https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/housing-community-services-department-community-engagement-team/disability-service-service-providers/

Something that might be of interest to those concerned about air quality issues - Southwark is consulting on its Air Quality Action Plan - consultation closes on 3 July. https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/environment-leisure/air-quality-action-plan/ Covers a wide range of council activities and includes plans for air quality monitoring, public awareness, improving air quality around schools and hospitals etc. From a quick scan some interesting things that stood out were - a proposed feasibility study into the introduction of a Workplace Parking Levy (about which more at https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/boroughs-and-communities/workplace-parking-levies - looks like something that could be used to target parking at local schools) - temporary car free days and pedestrianisation schemes (seems to stem from a GLA strategy and involve a lot of ?reimagining? (plus some substantial payments to marketing companies I?m guessing https://www.tceg.com/work/world-car-free-day-public-event - someone put in an FOI about precisely that (see https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/mgla130721-8182_-_foi_response_redacted.pdf). I?d rather see ?800000 on public transport rather than a one day inspirational event in central London tbh. - they?re trialling virtual loading bays in Walworth already, could be something interesting for LL? I had never heard of these, some info at https://park4sump.eu/sites/default/files/GoodPracticesExamplesCaseStudies/General_PM_and_Policy/Park4SUMP_Good_Practice_London_virtual_loading_bay.pdf - the creation of school super zones https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/superzones-_final.pdf There?s one in Walworth apparently. Given they?re supposed to prioritise the 30% most-deprived areas I can?t see this coming to Dulwich (although never underestimate the power of social capital, as ex-Cllr Burgess would say). They?re also going to implement the recommendations from the Southwark Schools Air Quality Audits. Not quite sure what these recommendations are or what the results of the audit look like. Some background here https://educationbusinessuk.net/news/27012020/london-schools-extend-air-quality-audit-programme, not all schools audited, Southwark funded some and others given the opportunity to opt in if they funded it themselves. Anyway, bit of an indication of the direction of travel and if people have specific ideas I guess it?s a chance to submit your view.

Well to be fair, it is Southwark Labour policy, and they have just been voted back in.

The roll out of CPZs begins, starting with Old Kent Road, with the council making it crystal clear that whether or not residents want them is irrelevant in light of the Council?s commitment to rolling out a borough wide CPZ, although there may be some discussion to be had on timings of restrictions. https://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/documents/s107370/Report.pdf Interestingly the report is very clear that the cabinet minister was briefed in advance of the consultation and that ward councillors were also told in advance. I might be reading too much into those statements (which I haven?t seen in previous papers of this type), but it does read as though council officials anticipate a backlash and are putting in defences/ making it more difficult for councillors to make a u-turn for political reasons if things get ugly...

Drop Wine?s licensing application due to be considered by council next week - wine bar/ wine delivery service to be cased in Melbourne grove north https://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=7443

Update on process for payment and progress on payments in this document on the agenda for next Cabinet meeting: https://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/documents/s107260/Report%20Council%20Tax%20rebate.pdf

An update https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/two-weeks-of-silence-over-17-schools-and-now-council-will-ask-for-interview/

I think the roll is dropping (vaguely recall something about 16 reception applicants for September), which makes viability more difficult as grant funding drops accordingly. Not sure whether the nuns teach or how much they are paid - it looks as though there is no "rental " charge for the building. Dashboard at https://schools-financial-benchmarking.service.gov.uk/School?urn=100851&tab=Income&unit=AbsoluteMoney&format=Charts#dashboard (not sure if this will link to the school itself but you can always search for it). Quite interesting to compare schools and see their current financial position etc.

oddly enough, healthcare / obesity/ controlling benefits spending on junk food was what I was thinking about when reading the Australia thing - as a natural next step from gambling/ alcohol / smoking... I'm sure someone has thought of it already and trying to work out how it can be made politically palatable!

I like Madelina (used to be called Piece of Cake) on East Dulwich Grove https://www.madelina.co.uk/. Quiet, friendly staff, nice crockery, the coffee is hot and I can vouch for the eggs benedict. Possibly not the cheapest but the portions are a decent size. The cafe at the Dulwich Picture Gallery is a nice spot on a sunny day but does get very busy. https://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/planning-your-visit/dulwich-picture-gallery-caf?/ I much prefer going out for breakfast than for lunch!

This is worth a read. Complete phase out of cash is a serious issue for victims of domestic abuse. https://www.refuge.org.uk/refuge-call-make-cash-priority-queens-speech/ Moving to cash free is also a great opportunity to allow the government to control how eg welfare payments are spent. See this trial in Australia (very targeted but could easily be the thin end of the wedge). https://www.dss.gov.au/families-and-children/programmes-services/welfare-conditionality/cashless-debit-card-overview I?m not sure that entirely cash free is the way to go...

Not sure if this list is up to date https://localoffer.southwark.gov.uk/education/specialist-schools/southwark-resource-base-and-specialist-schools/specialist-schools/ I think I read somewhere that there is to be specialist provision for autism at Charter ED, which seems consistent with this https://www.tcset.org.uk/inclusive-education