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.

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.

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.   

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.

Just a few years after the last round of cuts saw the closure of the Post Office in Crystal Palace Road, the Government’s latest round of cuts has identfied the Melbourne Road Post Office for closure.  

Consultation on the closures started  last week and will continue until April 2nd.

You can help the campaign by signing the petition outside Melbourne Grove Post Office or  go to http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/savesouthwarkpostoffices.   In addition, you can make their views known to Anita Turner, Network Development Manager, c/o National Consultation Team, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM, or email her at: consultation@postoffice.co.uk.

Liberal Democrats are campaigning against the closures – led by our local  Liberal Democrat candidate for the London Assembly, Caroline Pidgeon.  She is seen here with fellow East Dulwch councillors, James Barber and Jonathan Mitchell outside Melbourne Grove.

On Sunday, I attended a public meeting called by those who are campaigning against the new planned boys Academy in East Dulwich. 

Those who are against the school who spoke broadly fall into four categories; those who are against academies on principle; those who like the old Victorian building on the chosen site and want it retained; those who believe the school could be improved on  particular educational grounds (it’s too big, it should be a mixed school etc); and those who are simply concerned about a development in their back yard.

It was the first group that was dominant. Speaker after speaker (many from outside the area and many from the NUT) condemned academies.  Yet none of the Labour councillors or party members present felt moved to defend the what is after all their policy. 

And of course the anti-academy contingent all attacked the Lib Dem-led Southwark council and me for foisting this policy on them!

The part of the academies agenda that I find most frustrating is that it is largely about creating a contract between the government and the academy provider.  The Council is a player but it lacks the degree of control that many people expect it to have.  I agreed with a number of comments made around democratic legitimacy and need for the councillors, local parents and people to have an input.

So, I find myself in an interesting position. Neither I nor the Liberal Democrats share the government’s enthusiasm for academies.  But as a local council we have to decide. Do we fight a political campaign against academies – retaining our ideological purity but risking the education of hundreds of children? Or do we compromise and do our best to deliver a new school within the framework set by the Government?

For my money, the need for decent, local, free secondary education for boys is one of the biggest social needs in East Dulwich. Parents have campaigned for a school for over six or seven years. I am not willing to sacrifice the education of hundreds of boys for a political campaign to change government policy. That debate and that campaign should be waged at the next general election.  I dare say a vote for my party will be the most effective vote against that policy! But in the meantime, we as local councilors need to work for the best outcome we can achieve within the constraints set for us.  And that is why I remain a firm supporter of the East Dulwich academy. 

This week Dulwich Library opened its doors on Wednesday for the first in many years. The move follows a Liberal Democrat election pledge to extend library opening hours. The library will open from 9am to 8pm every Wednesday – so the library will be open seven days a week (66 hours instead of 55).

Since the Government have announced a real terms cut in the amount of money for Southwark council next year, it was important that this was done through efficiency savings and at no extra cost to the tax payer.

The library offers a great service, making it more widely available will be a real boost for this area. In 2006, we promised to extend library opening hours – we’ve now done so whilst achieving great value for money for local people.  Lib Dem Councillor James Barber has been pushing hard to achieve this so hats off to him and to the staff and unions who worked to make it happen.  

 As reported previously, Dulwich Baths are set for a major £5m refurb for the first time in over a hundred years.

The council has been consulting over the summer about what people would like to see and a report has been published on the council website.

There was a high degree of consensus about what people would like to see with better changing faciltiies, a cafe, more gym space, a soft play area all featuring. The tricky bit will be accomodating all the demands within the current footprint without wrecking the Victorian features.

An exhibition displaying the  first conceptual designs will be displayed at an exhibition on Saturday November 24th from 2-4pm.

Today, Southwark celebrates achieving Fairtrade status! This means Southwark has satisfied the five conditions set down by the Fairtrade Foundation.

It’s the result of much hard work from politicians, council oficers and many  volunteers and campaigners all concerned that Southwark should do its bit to help make sure that producers  are paid a fair price for their goods and services. 

It was fitting that the days celebrations started with a breakfast in East Dulwich’s own  Bread of Life Fairtrade Cafe at Christ Church on Barry Road,  which supplied so much of the inspiration and hard work for the campaign.