former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[singalto]

James, says there anything we can do to stop the sorting office in Sylvester rd from closing? It would be a disaster if it closes... Thanks..

[jLo]

Morning James! There's a crew of builders with a cement mixer on the lane this morning, next to William Rose. They're blocking the pavement so that pedestrians - including kids on their way to school - have to walk out onto the road. We asked them to open the barriers to let pedestrians through safely. They initially refused then we just walked through and others followed (see picture). Please can something be done?!

[James Barber]

Hi singalto,

I have contacted Royal Mail and taken part in a first conference call with them.

They explained that 8 February a feasibility study about closing East Dulwich SE22 sorting office. That a final decision hasn't been taken yet.

I explained residents are under the impression two reasons for this proposal. 1st lack of Royal Mail parking and 2nd the increased volume of parcels.

For the former I suggested it might be possible to permanently allocated several spaces if we knew what the scale of this issue was. For the latter issue they couldn't quantify the scale of this problem on our call.

They have promised to find out more detail for our second call early next week.

One comment they made is if the sorting office closed they could potentially provide an alternate location for parcels such as a local post office. I explained the local Crown Post Office on Lordship Lane appears to have only limited space. Frankly if this was a viable solution then the current sorting office would have even more space to remain open.

[James Barber]

Hi jLo,

Apologies for not picking this up sooner - real stinker of a cold that is proving hard to recover from. For something urgent like this please always email directly. I would have seen it on Friday and acted immediately.

Either way I've now reported it and hope we can ensure it doesn't happen again. Unacceptable.

jLo Wrote:

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

> Morning James! There's a crew of builders with a

> cement mixer on the lane this morning, next to

> William Rose. They're blocking the pavement so

> that pedestrians - including kids on their way to

> school - have to walk out onto the road. We asked

> them to open the barriers to let pedestrians

> through safely. They initially refused then we

> just walked through and others followed (see

> picture). Please can something be done?!

[jLo]

Hi James - no worries at all, thanks for following up and hope you're feeling better. Cheers, JLO

[James Barber]

I've an update on the sub Post Office ear the Dulwich Library. They're looking for a replacement. If anyone has ideas for this replacement - please let me know.

Please see attached letter.

[shell]

Hi James .. there is a little sink hole opened up at the bottom of east dulwich rd, goose green side .. any plans to get this fixed? Its wrecking my car every time i turn in .. it must be a nightmare for cyclists .

Also all the bins in st francis park are literally rotting away .. all broke, massive holes, doors swinging open etc. They're such an eye sore. Can we get them fixed?

[James Barber]

Hi shell,

Apologies for delay coming back to you - terrible cold.

Have reported both. Latter will be much more painful to solve as Sainsbury's responsibility and after a number of years have obtained minimal traction with them - they're ignoring a legal requirement on them to properly maintain St.Francis Park and the council is understandably loath to spend lots on lawyers to make it happen..

[shell]

Wow I had no idea they had to maintain it .. in that case could this of us bothered by the state of the park email anyone appropriate?

[Nigello]

Why not take a picture, and send it to Sainsbury's as well as a local newspaper on Twitter? May get some action. Or write to HQ and say you are sending a copy to the local MP and leader of Southwark council.

[James Barber]

FYI - Val's Store, 387 Lordship Lane has an alcohol licence review. For reasons please see attached.

[Lynne]

Hi James

Could you lean on Thames Water about the leak on Worlingham Rd? It's been running for a couple of weeks now and it seems a waste. Not to mention my worries about our cellar flooding. A van came and drew a chalk mark round it initially, but that's been it.

[James Barber]

Hi Lynne,

Have escalated this Thames Water leak. Fingers crossed we can get it repaired soon.

[lavender27]

Dear James

A gentle reminder that I have not received a reply to my pm to you on 13.3.17 @ 6.53am

kind regards

[bels123]

.

[James Barber]

Hi bels123,

Sure. It is expected to use this to normalise the junction of Chesterfield grove with Melbourne Grove. Currently it is designed to maximise speeding.

[first mate]

James,

So how is the design, which looks similar to the design of most junctions, to be changed?

[Abe_froeman]

I'm guessing there will be build outs to make it impossible for delivery lorries to turn the corner without driving across the pavement, 30 metres of double yellow lines on all sides of the junctions, a raised table entry with chinese granite to improve the user experience and a few cycle parking facilities to help the environment.

I tried to find the plans on Southwark's website that I would have thought MGTAC must have been required to submit to obtain funding but couldn't see them. Interestingly what the website does say about CGS funding is that grants are to be implemented and project managed by the incorporated association that applied for funding[ERRONEOUS REFERENCE TO ?5K DELETED] . So it won't be the council that oversees these works.

Since writing this I've checked the CGS application page again and see that I misread it. the link is here:http://www.2.southwark.gov.uk/info/200256/cleaner_greener_safer/3871/cgs_capital_grants_application_process

[redjam]

Hi James, can you also give us an update on the possible closure of the sorting office on Silvester Road? Your last post on the subject said you were going to have a follow-up conversation with Royal Mail at the beginning of March. Many thanks for anything you can do to help prevent this closure going ahead.

[first mate]

Abe, extremely disconcerting. I wonder if former councillor Robin HJ has any info on this?

[rch]

Hi, I'm here, but haven't have time to type.

I challenged the whole constitutional process at the DCC meeting, but was fobbed off. Will try to explain more tomorrow... maybe we should resuscitate the old Melbourne Grove thread so that we can have a proper discussion without overloading this thread?

[jaywalker]

I drive frequently at this junction. I simply do not understand the need to spend money here. It is open, with very good lines of sight. Speeding is rarer here than elsewhere according to the council's own survey. There are countless projects and people in real need who are seeing their funding squeezed, yet thousands of pounds are being put towards this??

Who are the people who make this sort of decision? Do they have any contact at all with those they claim they represent?

Local government is beyond parody.

Ridiculous.

[first mate]

James in what way is the junction between Melbourne Grove and Chesterfield as you say "designed to maximise speeding"?

[James Barber]

Hi first mate,

The wide splay on northern side allowing faster turning - compare it to the junction with Ashbourne Grove for example.

Hi Jaywalker,

The junction is twice the width of other junctions. Making it normal sized will reduce crossing distances making it safe for people walking. It will also deter articulated lorries from delivering to M&S. This used to be there route for Iceland. Currently M&S is in breach of it's planning conditions but is likely to return to this route as the junction appears designed for articulated lorries to turn.

Hi rch,

The highway changes will be consulted upon which would be a great opportunity for contrary views to object.

Hi Abe_froeman,

You must have been away for a while. I've campaigned to block lots of double yellow lines being installed across East Dulwich. Extra are not part of what I've signed up for.

[Abe_froeman]

James are you guaranteeing that there won't be any new yellow lines as part of this proposal (particularly on the north side of Chesterfield which currently has no lines at all)?