former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[fredricketts]

Its not the stamp, its the priciple of being ripped off, by Companies, contracted by the Councils and Government,

its well known that these private sector companies cost twice as much and never give a good service, its why the Country is in such a stste. To many rich people creaming it off, and we are paying for it.

[peckhamboy]

Qiute right. But you forgot to add - too many people wanting something for nothing, and too many people expecting everything to be provided by the council. Now, where's my free stamp and envelope?

[the-e-dealer]

"Thanks E-dealer but its the principle that I'm worried about and sorry about my Potty Mouth"

[Penguin68]

It is not 'well known' that oustourcing companies cost more, let alone 'twice as much' - indeed the very purpose of outsourcing is normally to reduce expenditure by placing sevices which are the 'day job' of professional companies with them - normally when they tender they do so showing reduced expenditure - of course sometimes public bodies follow political fashions to outsource (this was particularly true in the PFI hayday when Gordon B was desperate to remove public expenditure from the books) and then the in-house quotes for the work can be skewed to make the outsourcer look cheaper.

They main problem with local authority outsourcing is that local authorities are very bad at letting and managing contracts effectively - private companies are normally far more effective in that sort of business activity - but's that's of course why public authorities outsource at all - they are generally poor at commercial management of anything (and that's a generalisation I am happy to say is 'well known'). Good contract management of outsourcing includes clear Service Level Agreements (SLAs) - clear quality standards, break clauses etc. etc.

I'm afraid most local authority contracts are marked by an absence of these in any detail or power. Local authorities sadly do not self employ good procurement departments (for things other than paper and staples) or think of using effective procurement consultants. Too often decisions are made by local politicians, not trained businesmen. But outsourcing decisions need to be business, not political, decisions.

[Chillaxed]

I think you?ve missed Penguin's point, Fred. Either we all pay, if Capita/the government provide stamped envelopes, or only the people benefitting from the discount pay, by buying an envelope and a stamp. ?User pays? was the catchphrase for this sort of thing back in Aotearoa.

I think it?s right they keep asking the question, though. Circumstances change and I?m afraid some people ?forget? to inform the powers that be.

Don?t suppose there?s an online option is there?

[fredricketts]

These question are sent to all households regarding

council tax at some point, i agree a lot of people want things

For nothing.i have had plenty of experiences with

companies like CSL,Liberata and capita thet cock up and

Just change there names, and still get the contracts,there cock ups

Cause a lot of pepple a lot of stress but no one is accountable.

These companies are in it for profit,and that profit comes from our pockets.

Only because Governments and Councils are to incompetent to run them.

[dukesdenver]

There isn't an online option. Don't see why not, if you can do the census and the electoral register in that way.

[Penguin68]

There isn't an online option. Don't see why not, if you can do the census and the electoral register in that way.

They may need a clear signature if they want to take action where someone is deemed not to be 'alone'. It's easier to prove in a court of law.

Additionally, as has been pointed out, many lone residents are either pensioners, who may not be IT users, or single parents, who may not be able to afford internet connectivity.

Out of interest you are treated as 'lone' if you have living with you an adult carer - so some technical one person households do have (legitimately) more than one adult person living in them.

I suspect that the proportion of IT disenfranchised people in this group ('single' residents) are far higher than in the population as a whole, hence enabling an online option may be far less cost effective.

[James Barber]

Southwark has many people claiming Single Persons Discount on their Council Tax bill.

Last year Lambeth Council employed a professional private agency to check publcily available records to check that those homes where SPD is claimed don;t have any one else recorded as living their or bank account based there (which would be illegal) etc. This then throws up

A very large number of quesries where it looks like SPD might be being cliamed illegally.

So the letter is genuine and is trying to quickly shrink down the large data matches to just those that have wrongly claimed the discount.

http://jamesbarber.mycouncillor.org.uk/2012/05/10/4000-missing-people/

Should the council provide a SAE? Yes in my opinion as it would speed up the process and recover the costs from those that knowingly tried defrauding the rest of Southwark's residents.

[dukesdenver]

James Barber Wrote:

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

> So the letter is genuine

Thanks for confirming. In addition to being annoying, the lack of SAE almost made me wonder if it was a scam of some kind.

[fredricketts]

I sent mine back with a note in the corner where the stamp goes, saying to be paid by Capita or Southwark Council.

[Alec John Moore]

Dear James

I'm really feeling the benefit of commuting to work on my bike this summer. I'm able to cycle to work since I don't have to do the school drop off. When the kids go back to school in a couple of weeks that won't be so easy. However, if the Boris bikes network was to spread southwards towards Camberwell and East Dulwich that would really improve my ptoential for cycling to work more often, keeping fit and relieving pressure on public transport, slightly.

The current plans for expansion of the Barclay's Cycle Hire scheme do not include more docking stations in Southwark. I see that Southwark's transport plan includes lobbying Transport for London on expanding the scheme to include more of Southwark.

Can you update me on any progress on this and is there anything that East Dulwich cycling commuters can do to help?

Best wishes

Alec

[James Barber]

Hi AJM,

The lobbying to have Boris bikes further south in Southwark hasn't had an impact yet. Don't hold your breath.

Presume your school run is for primary school age children. Couldn't you cycle them to school and lock their bikes upatschol the school/s?

Alternately walk them to school pushing your bike and the cycle to work after dropping them at the school?

[Alec John Moore]

Hi James

Their school is in Camberwell - we kept them there when we moved to ED so as not to disrupt their education. Thinking about getting a push scooter so that I can keep up with them on theirs, make it easier to get on the bus with them and then scoot off to the office after I have dropped them at school. Would prefer to be able to cycle though.

[LondonMix]

They won't expand to areas that are past major hills having learnt the lessons of Paris. Many people will cycle downhill and then return home on public transport. As you can imagine, this poses issues for docking station logistics.

[Undisputedtruth]

I think the case for Dulwich is entirely different as they can cycle through Bellenden road to the Surrey Canal cycling route starting at Peckham library and passing through Burgess Park. No hills there and very safe.

[LondonMix]

Great. Is there an official cycling route that way (I cycle to work often but not that route)? If there is one, the argument to those making the decisions would hold more weight.

[Undisputedtruth]

It's a well used cycling route.

[Undisputedtruth]

Fully agree. Just pure laziness to stuff SAEs into envelopes. However, you can scan and email your document to Capita/Southwark.

fredricketts Wrote:

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

> I have a problem with the letter I've just

> received fom Southwark about the Council Tax

> single person discount review which requires me to

> sign and return a declaration that I am still

> entitled to the discount, does not enclose an

> envelope to return it in and threatens that my

> discount may be cancelled if I do not return the

> form within 14 days.

>

> Is this genuine or a wind-up of some kind???

> __________________________________________________

> __________________________________________________

> _______________

>

> I have received the same letter, and I think that

> if Capita, which is the company, that is asking

> for the information, for the Council, seeing as

> they want to check the information every year,

> that they already have, they should be supplying

> the stamped addressed envelopes?. Capita is

> earning millions of pounds from our taxes, housing

> benefits? and Council taxes, it seem like they are

> doing what the Government is doing, cutting back

> on everything, to save the government money whilst

> having the lion?s share of the cut backs. How the

> rich get richer down to the poor.

[the-e-dealer]

They dont expect people to return the bikes. They are retuned in bulk by Lorry.

[James Barber]

For those that live or use Melbourne Grove the council are planning to close Melbourne Grove at it junction with Grove Vale 17-30 September for drainage works.

seems strange to do this after the summer holidays and two weeks seems a surprisingly long time to fix one drain that keeps flooding. Fingers crossed I can get these plans improved but either way please beware.

[veryseriousgirl]

Hi James,

I posted on the forum last month regarding the house next door to me, which has been boarded up by the council and is now attracted flytippers. Following several chaser e-mails to council officials, the rubbish was eventually cleaned up last month. Sadly, new flytippers have emerged and I have had no response from council officials in the South Housing team regarding my request to get the new rubbish cleaned up. As I mentioned in my previous post, it is only since the metal barriers over the windows and doors went up that this has become a problem, and if the waste were dumped six inches away on the pavement, rather than the abandoned, council-owned house's front garden, there would be a 24 hour response time by the council.

Could you please look into how I can get the rubbish cleared ASAP and see if there is some way that the council can regularly check the front garden to promptly clear away waste? Once one person starts, it seems to encourage others quite rapidly.

Thanks,

Victoria

[James Barber]

Is this 31 Shawbury Road?

Clearly any empty council property needs to be protected but equally the best way of protecting it is with tenants.

Please confirm the address and I'll chase to see when it will be rented out.

[EJTH]

Dear James

Are there any rules about visual pollution? The real estate agents seem to leave their For Sale or To Let/ Let By signs up for months, even after properties have been let and/or sold. Lordship Lane is a awash with the wretched things, especiLly between Heber Rd and The Plough.

Thanks

[veryseriousgirl]

James, it is 31 Shawbury Road, but the council have already confirmed to me that they will be selling the house as it requires extensive renovations to be fit for occupation. I understand that paperwork has been submitted and is awaiting approval and that the house will be auctioned at some point in the future.