Council leader backs free street party plan!

July 11, 2008 at 4:37 pm · Filed under Community, East Dulwich

Last year, Upland Road residents held a street party in September. Everything was paid for by the residents and by all accounts a great time was had by all.  The highest cost of the event was the price tag charged by Southwark Council for carrying out the consultation for a temporary road closure. This year, the council was quoting £350 for the same service. Upon investigation, I was told that this is the cost of advertising the notice (which is required by law) in the local paper – in this case the South London Press.

 

So you have a case of ‘the council’ appearing to the public to be a total party-pooper when in reality it is just passing on its external costs.  Presumably, other local events like the Goodrich Carnival are also affected.

 

So at Wednesday’s Full Council meeting, I asked the Leader of the Council, Nick Stanton, to consider two possible suggestions for cutting these costs. Firstly, perhaps local papers could levy a ‘community rate’ for those notices that relate to such community events.  Secondly, why can’t such notices be published in Southwark’s own publication, Southwark Life, which is delivered to very household in Southwark? I am pleased to say he said he’d investigate – so watch this space.

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New School for East Dulwich

July 3, 2008 at 8:04 am · Filed under Uncategorized

After over eight years of campaigning and two years since the Government approved the council plans for a new school, the plans for a new boys’ school took a decisive step forward last night as the planning committee voted unanimously to back the plans for a school on the old boys school site opposite Peckham Rye.  There is not doubt that this is one of the biggest social needs for East Dulwich and I and my colleague Jonathan Mitchell were there to back the plans.

I’ve detailed some of the issues elsewhere on this blog and I still maintain my view that whilst I am sympathetic to those who just don’t like the idea of academies, this is the only game in town if we want a new school.

The key issue other than that has always been the size. The plan is for five forms of entry with a sixth form  – 950 pupils. I have been convinced of the merits of having a sixth form on the site -  particularly in setting a standard for younger kids to aim for.  The committee also heard evidence that the school will provide more external and internal space than other successful new schools. 

This is the only available site for a school in East Dulwich in council ownership and to underdevelop it and limit the numbers would, I feared, end up with the same sort of disappointment in the community as when the Charter School opened; that the new school everyone had been waiting for is found to be inadequate for the community’s need. For that reason I was pleased that Labour councillor, Gordon Nardell found no support for his wrecking amendment to limit the number of school places.   

Within the constraints  that many London schools’ have to operate I think that plans were well worthy of support. Now, finally, we will have decent, free local secondary education for boys. That has to be a good thing.

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East Dulwich SNUBs plastic bags

July 3, 2008 at 7:46 am · Filed under Uncategorized

A great day on Saturday as we distributed cotton and jute bags to SE22 residents on Lordship Lane. 

The Say NO to Plastic Bags is a community campaign, supported by locals and traders, to promote cloth bags in and around Lordship Lane.  The East Dulwich councillors have been involved from the beginning. We gathered signatures in support at the Dulwich Green Fair and  I am on the SNUB committee. The idea is to reduce plastic bag waste and promote local shopping too.  

Marilyn has been the mainstay of the campaign and she was out all day on the stall.  I helped in the morning and dragged a few young  Thomas helpers along. Amazing how many people made comments about ‘child labour’.  I explained it was ‘child voluntary action’ which is quite different!

There are still bags available in many local shops so get along to pick up yours and help promote local shops and cut down on plastic pollution.

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Dulwich Going Greener survey

May 17, 2008 at 4:30 am · Filed under Community

Dulwich Going Greener are thinking global and acting local. They want to see what impact the way we live in Dulwich  is having on the global environment. How much does each of our households contribute to the current trend of climate change? 

They have launched a Dulwich-wide survey to find out more about local emission levels, and what attitudes people have towards climate change.  The survey can be completed online, and the hope is that it will give a snapshot of the way people live in Dulwich in 2008 – a baseline to measure changes in the years ahead.

To get a good baseline they need as many responses as possible, whether from committed ‘greens’, outright sceptics, or those in between.   Please take 10 minutes to complete the survey, and pass on details to your friends and neighbours. Go to the survey at www.dulwichgoinggreener.org  and click the link at the top of the homepage.

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Labour axe Melbourne Grove Post Office

May 7, 2008 at 8:19 pm · Filed under East Dulwich

Six days after the London elections, Labour have confirmed that all eight post offices in Southwark that were under threat will get the chop – including Melbourne Grove.   You can’t help but wonder at the cynicism of the timing of this announcement.

Clearly the consultation exercise was as much a sham as our local MPs opposition to the closure (she said she wanted the post office saved locally  but voted in the Cabinet and Parliament in favour).

As local counciillors, we presented avidence about how well used these services are, how important they are for the parade of shops in Melbourne Grove and Grove Vale  and of course there was the petition which I presented on behalf of the hundreds of people who signed the petition.  

Shame on Labour for axing the service, for  the cynicism of the announcement and for the hypocrisy of their MPs.  

 

 

 

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Caffe Nero to stay – but air con units to go

April 8, 2008 at 9:53 pm · Filed under East Dulwich

After weeks of deliberation, the Government’s Planning Inspector has made her decision on the Caffe Nero case.

As reported previously Caffe Nero opened its premises without planning permission. Faced with the enforcement action by Southwark Council, Caffe Nero then applied for planning permission.  But they were refused because allowing another cafe would have broken rules designed to protect the balance of shops and food and drink outlets in the area.  Southwark has a policy of making sure that at least fifty per cent of all shops units are retail outlets in order to ensure a vibrant high street. 

Caffe Nero continued trading without permission and the Council took enforcement action in relation to both this issue and the installation (again without planning permission!) of noisy air conditioning units installed these immediately outside a residents’ bedroom window.

Since the council decision last year, a number of new shops have opened – this means that there is a healthier balance of shops to cafes then previously. The Inspector  took this evidence in to account (rather than just the facts the council considered at the time) and as expected agreed that Caffe Nero could stay.

But the Inspector has ordered Caffe Nero to remove the air conditioning units and threw out their attempt to get the council to pay for the costs of the appeal.

Caffe Nero could now go to the High Court – I suspect that they won’t.  The whole issue has rumbled on for over two years. Many local people feel passionately on both sides of the argument.  I am clear that the council did the right thing in forcing Caffe Nero to operate within the planning system – flouting the planning rules is not acceptable and a council that wants to be taken seriously on planning has to use its enforcement powers. 

The Council made the right decision at the time to refuse planning permission – but in the changed circumstances, the Inspector’s decision was inevitable.

And the air con? Well it may seem peripheral to many but for those residents who sufferred the noise, its an important victory.

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Standing up for Melbourne Grove Post Office

April 4, 2008 at 7:36 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

This week I joinedlocal GLA candidate Caroline Pidgeon and Simon Hughes MP to present our petition to save Southwark Post Offices at the Post Office HQ. Its a vital service for so many and has a very important role as part of the local cluster of shops on Melbourne Grove and Grove Vale. The Lordship Lane alternative is not within easy walking distance for many people.

Hundreds have signed the petition and made their own representations. The council has also responded strongly.  There was a vote in parliament to halt the programme but ‘local’ MP Tessa Jowell voted for the closure.   

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Council leader backs East Dulwich Police Station

April 4, 2008 at 7:22 pm · Filed under East Dulwich

At Wednesday’s full council meeting I questioned the Leader of the Council about the Council’s position on Labour’s plans to close East Dulwich Police Station. Unsurprisingly, he thinks we should retain a local police presence in our area - just like the thousands of local people who have signed our petition.

We have suggested that if the building really is unfit for purpose and falling down then the Met could re-develop the the site and use the money raised to provide a modern, police station on site, open 24/7 and ideally co-locating the police with community safety wardens and other services.

I was delighted that he endorsed this idea and promised to raise the idea with the Borough Commander at their next meeting.  

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East Dulwich Councillors fight for our police station

March 12, 2008 at 9:28 pm · Filed under East Dulwich, Lib Dems, Uncategorized

The Labour controlled Met police are still proceeding with their plans to close and sell off East Dulwich Police station. 

Thousands have signed our petition against this. 

The Met are now at least consulting about their plans and the East Dulwich councilors have responded.

I notice that in the press Labour’s GLA incumbent still supports closing police stations.  (You know what to do on May 1st.)   The reason she gives is that the building is in a state of bad repair.  ”Well mend it dear Val” is the answer which springs to mind.  Or alternatively, re-provide a new building!

In our response to the consultation, we said:

We welcome this consultation.  It is long over due. For well over a year, we have been approached by our constituents eager to know what is being planned for their police station.  That the decision making process has been so opaque has not reflected well on the MPA. We make no criticism of Southwark officers whom we recognise have been put in an impossible position.

We believe that an East Dulwich Police Station should remain.  Ideally, the current service should be extended to a 24/7 service.  We have spoken to hundreds of our constituents who share this view.  Taking a police station away from our community would be a retrograde step and counter to the prevailing wind in favour of community policing.  

The Police station in East Dulwich is in a strategically advantageous position to service the police needs of people over a wide area: the Wards of East Dulwich, Village, College, and parts of Peckham Rye. The present location is well-known to local people, and is a reassurance to them and advantageous in encouraging residents to report crime and achieving quick access to police assistance in an emergency. Its location clearly reduces the local fear of crime.

 

We wish to defend services; not  buildings that may be unfit for purpose. Our suggestion is that the existing site should be retained, but we can see the potential  to deliver the local imperative for a modern working police station, whilst providing the financial benefit of raised capital receipts for the Metropolitan Police Authority.

 

If such a development were to be proposed, we would favour a reconfiguration of council services at the same to bring wardens, and the police under the same roof.

It may also be possible to provide other community services such as a new Dulwich Housing office/One Stop shop and community space. 

A lot would depend on what was proposed.  But as a minimum a new police station would have to have capacity to accomodate all local Dulwich police as well as a Southwark enforcement base  for community wardens.

A minimum of existing front counter opening times of 06.00 to 21.00 hours would be maintained – but ideally we should be seeking to provide a 24/7 service.

We would expect  car and cycle space for Police and Wardens would be provided and all the usual operational features of a station such as rooms for lockers, operational purposes, meetings, and interviews. 

 Such an approach could result in a better police station for East Dulwich residents and still make the police money. It would be light years ahead of the alternative of a  Lordship Lane shop-front.  We await the MPA’s response with interest. 

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Tessa’s post office hypocrisy is no surprise

February 28, 2008 at 9:46 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

Tessa Jowell is accused in the Telegraph of hypocrisy because she is apparently supporting a campaign to stop the closure of the Gipsy Road post office.    She was  a member of the cabinet at the time that  the post office closure plan was agreed upon and remains a Government Minister. 

Tessa Jowell has form on this cynical approach to politics. We have previously seen her ‘campaigning’ against the closure of the emergency clinic at the Maudsley.  She also briefly dallied with campaigning against Livingstone’s high rise plans (although she then changed her mind and instead accused the Lib Dems of scaremongering).

There has been no sign of her ’support’ for Melbourne Grove Post Office where it is the local Lib Dems who are leading the charge. But given the success, credibility and honesty of these previous camapigns against her own party and government’s policies, perhaps that is support Melbourne Grove Post Office could do without.

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