former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[James Barber]

Yes they could apply to have stall on Mon-Thurs. I'm sure they'd be a free space at 7-8am when they'd set-up. I doubt the passing trade would make it worth while but you never know.

When the market was being expanded ED cllrs did try and get the Mon-Thurs dropped in exchange. That's still one of our aims for NCR.

[camberlou]

Hi James,

I don?t know if you?re able to help with the fares on the Overground route from Denmark Hill.

I received in the post a flyer about the new route which has a section headed ?Cheaper Journeys?. It explicitly states that the new extension avoids Zone 1. In the same section, it says you can now travel from Clapham Junction to Westfield at Stratford, changing at Canada Water, implying that this route avoids Zone 1, with the higher fare. It doesn?t ? Shoreditch High Street is in Zone 1, meaning that it is more than 50% more expensive to travel, on this section, than any other part of the orbital route circle.

Is it possible to request that the whole orbital route be in Zone 2? At a minimum to notify the Mayor?s Office and TfL that their flyers are misleading?

Do you know if this has been raised by Lewisham Council, given that this must have been noticed when the line was extended to New Cross and Forest Hill etc.

Many thanks

Lou

[EPB]

But the hot-dog stall was there on Sunday.

[James Barber]

Hi EPB,

Market stalls are not allowed on Sundays.

If you see it again please take a picture and email it to me.

Hi camberlou,

Have you kept that flyer?

I'll ask GLA Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon - also an East Dulwich resident - about this.

[James Barber]

The Thomas Moore planning application is now available:

http://planningonline.southwark.gov.uk/DocsOnline/Documents/267296_1.pdf

A new nursery with some community facilities on part of the 1st floor.

What do people think? it looks good to me and we cleatrly have lots of nursery school demand.

[Cora]

James, glancing through I can't work out exactly where the outside space would be (it's a bit blurry on th iPad). Is it within a courtyard surrounded by the existing building or at the back of the buliding? My only concern with residential properties backing onto it would be the noise from the outside area. The back of those houses at the moment are very quiet.

[James Barber]

Hi Cora,

The Thomas Moore hall has outside space on the SW corner. So they#re proposing to keep that for outside nursery play space. My experience of kids playing outside at nurseries it that it's only a proportion of the day that they werent terribly noisy but noise iwll occur at times.

Properties backing onto the site may wish to object or ask for conditions about activities being limited to certain times or numbers. But from maps their immediate neighbours are the blackwater business units, Irish shops and those flats above shops. So it doesnt seem like many residents if any will be affected...?

[AlexC]

Hi James,

I live on Landcroft Road and had a letter a couple of months back saying that the road was going to be re-surfaced. I forget the exact dates now the work was due to happen, but they have been and gone. No work has been done as far as I can see on any part of Landcroft Road. Something similar happened a year or so ago where the whole road was due to be re-surfaced, but only a bit down at the police station end was done. I was expecting they would do the rest this time. Can you please find out what happened?

Many thanks.

[James Barber]

How bizarre. Let me find out what's gone wrong.

[Alan Medic]

Hello James, thank you for the Christmas cards. We got two.Both very nice. I'd probably still vote for you next time around even if it was just one, given the abuse you sometimes get here for at least engaging with Joe Public. Have a happy christmas too.

[mynamehere]

Yes everyone have a great holiday season and here's an East Dulwich Christmas card I got that I'll share:

[Sue]

I also appreciated the Christmas card, James, and would like to thank you for all your hard work for East Dulwich over the past year. And I echo what Alan Medic said (apart from the bit about getting two cards, as I only got one!)

Have a great rest over Christmas - you deserve it!

[James Barber]

Many thanks Alan Medic and Sue.

[ORC1]

Hi yes you can find out why Southwark Council have altered the definition of a pothole i.e the hole has to be deeper to require attention/repair than previously. My understanding is that they still have a duty of care to the general public regarding keeping the roads in a fit and proper state. I point this out as its quite clear to me that the roads have deteriorated across the borough includng E. Dulwich to such a point that there is increased risk of serious injury especially for 2 wheeled vehicles. I also understand that the highways contract has just been retendered. Can you tell us what this will mean for E. Dulwich in relation to the road surveys that alledgedly are undertaken by council highways inspectors? Finally can you find out what the process s for licensing utilities digging the roads up and how the councl ensure reinstatements are carried out to a high standard i.e whats the process officers follow?

Regards

[macrobana]

ORC1 Wrote:

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

> I also

> understand that the highways contract has just

> been retendered.

Who won?

[James Barber]

Hi ORC1,

Happy to but it wont be quick and I wasnt aware the definition of pothole has changed.

Hi Macroban,

The current supplier won. Interesting. London Councils as part of a national plan are trying to come up with a standard spec. for highway maintenance. The idea is then that councils come together to have joint procurement. Southwark have announced that theyre procurement excercise came up with cheaper prices than the pan London procurement excercise.

[Sue]

James Barber Wrote:

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

Southwark have

> announced that theyre procurement excercise came

> up with cheaper prices than the pan London

> procurement excercise.

xxxxxxx

Great in theory, but it always worries me when cost seems to be the main/only criterion.

Hopefully that isn't the case here, but you wonder what corners might be cut to make sure your tender comes in cheapest ......

[James Barber]

Hi Sue,

I attended a pan SE England conference on highways maintenance about a year ago. The pan London contract presentation was depressing and basic procurement practices seemed to be missing. So I'm delighted Southwark havent gone for a one model fits all authorities. It makes it easier to change things to suit Southwark.

But yes, my experience of FMConway in Southwark is that they have to be micro managed to ensure bacis like residents being told what is happening.

HNY!

[Pugwash]

Pot hole by cycle lane at lights outside the Plough Pub - quite a big one.

[loobylou]

Why have Conway just spent many hours building 2 flower beds on the greendale cycle path?

[macrobana]

loobylou Wrote:

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

> Why have Conway just spent many hours building 2

> flower beds on the greendale cycle path?

Becasuse F.M.Conway have the council contract?

[Penguin68]

Why have Conway just spent many hours building 2 flower beds on the greendale cycle path?

This has 'guerilla gardening' written all over it!

[James Barber]

If anyone has a specific pothole please either email [email protected] (ideally copying me) or call 020 7525 2000.

The Greendale flower bed changes are a further attempt to reduce the occurence of car parking by parents dropping and collection children from JAPS and to remove as many bollards as possible while still blocking vehicles from using Greendale cycle and pedestrians paths.

A more pressing issue is the very narrow footpath meaning many walk along the main cycle path. And the second most problematic issue is the daft chicane put in the cycle path which needs to be removed. But it's in South Camberwell ward so I have little influence.

Guerilla gardening - great idea.

[James Barber]

Kaival News at 100 Lordship Lane has applied to sell alcohol - mon-sat 07.00-23.30 and sun 07.00-22.30 reference 840060.

http://app.southwark.gov.uk/licensing/licenseregister.asp

If you think the area is saturated with or that we need more places to buy aloohol tell [email protected] and copy me as a local councillor [email protected]

[James Barber]

The planning application for new 100+ nursery places at Crown House, 41-43 East Dulwich Road was refused by Southwark Council but the applicant has appealeded it.

It was refused as the council doesnt think they've made enough efforts to lease it as office spaces portecting local employment. And also no transport report.

The former is odd as with such huge shortages of nursery places many are unable to go back to work. So this feels a red herring or illconceived. The transport issues interesting. When the council applied next door it was allowed BUT on the condition they produce a Travel Plan.

So I've contacted the planning inspector who will decide the appeal supporting the application IF a condition for a Travel Plan is added.

The planning inspector can be contacted at: [email protected] reference APP/A5840/A/12/2185756/NWF

What's very frustrating is that until May 2012 this planning application would have been decided by the dulwich Community Council but instead council officers miles away made the decision - wrongly in my mind.