Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Has anyone else seen this?


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2007/08/20/is-this-the-baddest-council-in-britain-89520-19660975/


and if you think this is bad you should read the 15 pages of complaints about Nick Stanton on the London SE1 forum. I haven't reprinted any of it here because our beloved Administrator has enough problems with lawyers looking over his shoulder.

I think one needs to draw a distinction between the leadership of the Council and the day to day services the Council offers. I'm sure Southwark have their moments, but having recently moved home, I found them to be surprisingly good. When they said they were going to deliver recycling boxes and a wheelie bin, they turned up. When we had a problem with our next door neigbour's tree growing down and blocking the pavement (and next door neighbour declined to do anything about it) I phoned up for some advice - they came the very next day and cut the tree back on the pavement side so people can use the footpath again. No connection to the Council by the way.


The Berkeley Homes development at Tower Bridge being discussed on another forum is quite a different story and I have some sympathy for any council which tries to oppose a development in similar circumstances to that one. Developers have significant funds to throw at legal action and Berkeley have made very clear they are going to fight this one tooth and nail, including starting work on their own part of the site in circumstances where it's far from clear that they have permission to do that.


If the Standards Board report earlier this year is anything to go by other local councils have their own share of problems - some allegedly far worse than those mentioned in the Mirror.

Good points Siduhe


Having ordered a skip and requested that the (now remedied) pot-hole ridden Friern Rd be sorted I had very swift responses. Obviously the roadworks were already in the pipeline but someone took the time to reply and outline the strategy which, given the bad press councils get, I wasn't expecting


Now a private company like (insert telecomms provider named after a vivid colour/fruit here) has been absolutely appalling for the last 4 weeks and is very clearly not interested in fixing a problem experienced by several of it's customers

One of the targets is not even a councillor. One person has no confirmed links to any terrorist organisation and is nt being investgated by the police. Another has a perfectly legal occupation. Fair enough there is one drink driver.


But overall that's a pathetic effort for "baddest council". Wouldn't even get a nib in Private Eye's Rotten Boroughs.

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

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

>Having .... and requested that the (now

> remedied) pot-hole ridden Friern Rd be sorted I

> had very swift responses.


Sean, who did you contact? I'd like to get the council to fix the "speed bump" at the Friern Road / Peckham Rye junction. No matter what tye of car I go over it in the vehicle grounds. The gouges in the road are evidence of failed design / placement.

Can't remember the exact page MM (it was a couple of years ago) , but I definitely went through the website and filled out a form


You could try starting here and having a look around some of the links :


https://securesite.southwark.gov.uk/ShowForm.asp?fm_fid=276

Having put up with a number of London councils, I find Southwark pretty good. The binmen come and get the bin if you forget to put it out, the streets are reasonably clean and our local councillors pop round every couple of months to gauge any local issues. They killed off the Homebase development a few years ago and the Leisure Centre next to ED station recently - both damn good decisions. Mt Sainsbury (the new speed bump they installed on Edgar Kail Way for the store reopening) lasted less than a week - I assume the council had a say in that one.


For the basic stuff I can't ask for a lot more, really.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Per Cllr McAsh, as quoted above: “We are currently updating our Enforcement Policy and changes will allow for the issuing of civil penalties ranging from £175 to £300 for visible smoke emissions, replacing the previous reliance on criminal prosecution. " Is anyone au fait with the Clean Air Act 1993, and  particularly with the state of 'Smoke Control' law and practice generally?  I've just been looking  through some of it for the first time and, afaics, the civil penalties mentioned  were introduced into the Clean Air Act, at Schedule 1A, in May 2022.  So it seems that, in this particular,  it's a matter of the enforcement policy trailing well behind the legislation.  I'm not criticising that at all, but am curious.  
    • Here's the part of march46's linked-to Southwark News article pertaining to Southwark Council. "Southwark Council were also contacted for a response. "Councillor James McAsh, Cabinet Member for Clean Air, Streets & Waste said: “One of Southwark’s key priorities is to create a healthy environment for our residents. “To achieve this we closely monitor legislation and measures that influence air pollution – our entire borough apart from inland waterways is designated as a Smoke Control Area, and we also offer substantial provision for electric vehicles to promote alternative fuel travel options and our Streets for People strategy. “We as a council support the work of Mums for Lungs and recognise the health and environmental impacts of domestic solid fuel burning, particularly from wood-burning appliances. “We are currently updating our Enforcement Policy and changes will allow for the issuing of civil penalties ranging from £175 to £300 for visible smoke emissions, replacing the previous reliance on criminal prosecution.  “This work is being undertaken in collaboration with other London boroughs as part of the pan-London Wood Burning Project, which aims to harmonise enforcement approaches and share best practice across the capital.” ETA: And here's a post I made a few years ago, with tangential relevance.  https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/278140-early-morning-drone-flying/?do=findComment&comment=1493274  
    • The solicitor is also the Executor. Big mistake, but my Aunt was very old, and this was the Covid years and shortly after so impossible to intervene and get a couple of close relatives to do this.  She had no children so this is the nephews and nieces. He is a single practitioner, and most at his age would have long since retired - there is a question over his competence Two letters have already gone essentially complaining - batted off and 'amusingly' one put the blame on us. There are five on our side, all speaking to each other, and ideally would work as a single point of contact.  But he has said that this is not allowed - we've all given approval to act on each others behalf. There are five on her late husband's side, who have not engaged with us despite the suggestion to work as a team, There is one other, who get's the lion's share, the typicical 'friend', but we are long since challenging the will. I would like to put another complaint together that he has not used modern collective communication (I expect that he is incapable) which had seriously delayed the execution of the will.   I know many in their 80s very adept with smart phones so that is not an ageist comment. The house has deteriorated very badly, with cold, damp and a serious leak.  PM me if you want to see the dreadful condition that it is now in. I would also question why if the five of us are happy to work together why all of us need to confirm in writing.             The house was lived in until Feb 23, and has been allowed to get like this.
    • Isn’t a five yearly electricity safety certificate one of the things the landlord must give for a legal tenancy?
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...