The following public questions
were submitted in writing:
- “Is it
necessary to enforce the Heygate Street
bus lane 7 days a week for 12 hours a day? This slows up traffic
for cars wanting to turn left and go along Walworth Road. Those
signs are wrong. It should be 7-10am Monday to Friday and no more.
The one bus would not be held up, if the enforcement was only at
the peak time in the morning.”
- “Article in the
Evening standard, Mon 27 June 2011: Southwark failed to collect
£6 million in council tax. How are you going to rectify this
problem?”
- “Southwark Play Rangers - Can
the council tell me about the cutting off the grant for this group.
As it’s used by many local children in the area. It's
particularly used when it comes to the local park. The grant is due
to be cut off in November.”
- “All neighbourhoods had
targets in rent collection put together. Are we getting a good
return to enable us to do repairs to housing as you
indicated.”
- “Has the printshop on the corner of Browning Street/Walworth
Road put up too much advertising? On 15 June 2011, they covered the
outside of four windows next the entrance of York Mansions with
large advertising boards.”
- I am a tenant in
Darwin Court, Barlow Street and some of the questions relate
directly to that area and the green space there:
- Why does the council
use large grass cutting machines on this area which are too large
to cope with undulations in the ground and consequently scrape off
the surface down to the mud? And will you rectify this.
- Why does the
grasscutting etc follow a timetable regardless of the need. It has
been cut at times of no growth - in very dry weather - to the
detriment of the grass - and at a needless cost
presumably?
- Could some areas be
left free to grow? Flowers grow then, and wild flowers could be
encouraged.
- Not all residents
have been properly consulted about all developments in the past. If
there are to be any future changes, of whatever kind, will you make
sure they are [consulted] in the future.
- What are you doing
about light pollution?
- There is a surplus of
street lighting?
- Has the luminosity in
Darwin Street been changed or increased recently?
- If any more large
tower blocks are planned can everyone in the entire area be
consulted as they affect a wide area and not simply the
neighbouring streets? (Frankly we have enough. They are intrusive,
dominant and - as it happens - of no particular merit)
ACTION:
Relevant officers to respond to the above
questions.
A resident complained about the
time it took to receive parking permits, which caused the old
permits to expire, before the new ones had arrived. Councillor
Garfield responded that residents could leave their old permits in
the car, if the new ones had not arrived. Attendants would honour
the old permits as they could see on their systems that new permits
had been issued. He urged people to get in touch with their
councillors, if the system was not working. The chair said officers
from the council’s parking section would be invited to a
future meeting.
ACTION:
Officers from the council’s parking section to
attend a future meeting to inform residents about parking/permits.
In answer to questions from the
floor, the chair explained that the process of allocating the
community fund budget had been an open and transparent dialogue,
and that members had carefully considered all
applications.