Our councillor James B - Not ED specific really - (failed to respond to my emails)

[SeanMacGabhann]

I'm not starting any threads, naming names and castigating people. That'll be you. So dont tar me and others with the same brush

[ryedalema]

I think we may be in danger of thinking of James B as a superhero:

- Yes it is half term, and regardless everyone's entitled to holidays or periods away from the forum (crazy thought i know)

- Sometimes he may have to work on our queries/concerns in the background without necessarily having an answer or solution for us right away.

I don't know, iamhere, whether you received an email saying 'I've heard you and am working on an answer' from James B? Perhaps that'd be something that would comfort, if you didn't. Equally, some people get wound up by these sorts of emails too - so it's damned if you do etc.

IMO JB has offered himself up to help on this forum, something he didn't have to do. And I admire anyone that's willing and prepared to take criticism in such a public arena (same with the East Dulwich Station Master - fair play to him!)

Good luck with this, iamhere, I'm sure you'll get a response and all the very best.

[KalamityKel]

Barber was busy doing his rounds of door to door yesterday... I doubt he had time to pop on here to see your comments iamhere and then find your email elsewhere in which to respond. I assume you have chased him up over the "failure" to respond to your emails? If its such a matter of urgency why have you not considered contacting someone else? Barber is not the only one who makes the world work you know.

[Pecanpie]

Probably half term kids stuff, he has job and a family as well as dealing with the ED massive.

[Alex K]

When I enquired of Mr Barber he responded briskly -- I turn out not to live on his patch, so he referred me elsewhere -- dear IAMHERE, your experience (although surely disappointing) seems, in the light of others' impressions, to be a bit of an outlier. Please try again and trust to better luck the second go.

[artypants]

I'd be very interested to find out if this OP has the same IP address as the poster of another party political thread which appeared just as this went sour.

Genuine apologies iamhere if i'm wrong, just too much of a coincidence not to point out. And a shame if I'm right as I'd like to have thought better of them.

[Gimme]

Councillor Barber also failed to respond to an email I sent this week. He did however turn up on my doorstep with the Southwark council leader yesterday to discuss the point in question while he was passing during his leafletting. I think that is pretty good service.

[eater81]

As somebody who works in a job where I get a lot of emails, some good and some frivolous, where if I were to respond to them all I would be up all night, I completely understand if Mr Barber leaves some unanswered. I actually admire his patience with the people who write to him. If I were constantly bombarded by constituents moaning about "rusty railings on East Dulwich Grove" or "traffic light timings in Dulwich village" I would go insane!

Original poster, why don't you put your emails to Mr Barber on here, to demonstrate that they warrant a reply? I'll bet they were about a mars bar wrapper in Dulwich park, or some other pointless crap like that.

[Huguenot]

:))

[Trump]

Councillor Barber ? Should not be on this Forum: Regular surgeries are held by all 3 Councillors. All have Southwark e-mail address-mobile phones for contact ? All paid for by us? Or is he here for self promotion? If so ? don?t think its working. .

[sophiesofa]

Trump Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Councillor Barber ? Should not be on this Forum:

> Regular surgeries are held by all 3 Councillors.

> All have Southwark e-mail address-mobile phones

> for contact ? All paid for by us? Or is he here

> for self promotion? If so ? don?t think its

> working. .

I think it's great that he's on here and I don't think I'm the only one.

[Gimme]

Are you bonkers? Politicians making themselves accessible should be applauded not derided.

Trump Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Councillor Barber ? Should not be on this Forum:

> Regular surgeries are held by all 3 Councillors.

> All have Southwark e-mail address-mobile phones

> for contact ? All paid for by us? Or is he here

> for self promotion? If so ? don?t think its

> working. .

[puzzled]

what iamhere does not appear to know is that this forum is a sub-branch of the lib dems. it is an election year and they are just doing their bit. I cannot understand why labour are not doing the same.

[SeanMacGabhann]

  Quote

oh really? That sounds very certain of you puzzled

[dukesdenver]

sophiesofa Wrote:

> I think it's great that he's on here and I don't think I'm the only one.

I agree. In fact you have to give the Lib Dems credit for being the only party doing any serious campaigning at the moment. Not that I *want* Tories knocking on my door, you understand....

[Andystar]

I'm thinking of starting a new topic - iamhere ( failed to respond to our questions )

Only joking.

What exactly was the problem that you had??

Please don't take this the wrong way but, I'm not really a fan of internet warriors (esp 1st time posters) who post vague general stuff like this, slating someone with no real back up evidence. ( I actually spent most of last night trawling through another forum full of similar posts, full of accusations with no evidence against good people I know. )

Maybe you should post your grievance here From what I've seen, he seems to be making an effort to reply to people & sort out problems

The good people of this forum are rightly suspicious of these kinds of posts by first time posters- a good example of it is here It leaves us feeling crushed and devalued.

Ps, I'm not affiliated with him or the Lib Dems in any way shape or form. :))

[Huguenot]

I think there's a thread on conspiracy theories in the Lounge, puzzled. You would feel at home.

[James Barber]

Hi iamhere,

Please accept my apoligies if I've failed to respond to your emails. I send around 60 email a day related to East Dulich issues and receive around 100 emails a day related to my councillor role and I also try and be active on EDF helping people. I also receive around 10 phone calls a day. I am behind responding to phone calls due to Blackberry phone problems.

Please PM me and I'll call you today on whatever number you state at whateer time outside kids bedtime (6-7.30pm).

[James Barber]

Hi iamhere,

I hada very short council meeting last night so spent the evening trying to find two email from the same person from the last fortnight that I hadn't replied to and I could'nt. So i extended the search to the last four weeks and still no luck.

I sent you a PM yesterday lunch time apologising but have not heard from you.

I'll send another PM with my personal mobile in the hope I'll hear from you.

I'm really sorry but I'm at a loss.

Did you send your email to james.barber@southwark.gov.uk?

[Smiler]

sophiesofa Wrote:

> I think it's great that he's on here and I don't

> think I'm the only one.

I agree, it is good to have councillors (and people like the station manager) on the forum.

[eater81]

I'd say that given Mr Barber's failure to find two unanswered emails in his in box, and IamHere's dissapearance from the forum, it is highly likely that the original post was an attempt at some kind of smear campaign against Mr Barber.

Look's like it has back fired!

Barber for PM!!!!!!

[giggirl]

I think he was out canvassing over the weekend. Someone from LibDems woke me up on Saturday (late) morning and whoever he was he was WAY too cheerful.

Mountain out of a molehill - two weeks - so what. Quite nasty actually to start a thread having a go at the guy.

[SeanMacGabhann]

It's not the first pile of poo Mr B has had to contend with on here and it won't be the last unfortunately

I can't believe he still does it - I doff my cap to him

[bc44]

I emailed james on 8th feb and i did have a reply yesterday. Thankyou James

[James Barber]

Hi giggirl,

I was indeed out canvassing at the weekend. Apologies if I was overly cheerful. It's just that canvassing is one of the best bit of being a councillor - excepting when we were out in the snow and ice that felt positvely dangerous. Anyway you meet lots and lots of people, collect lots of case work and find problems. Also, the odd myth gets dispelled.

No doubt one day the mystery of iamhere will be solved.