SuperSore
When the Council superstore was built in a Sidcup residential back road it was alleged that this would re-vitalise Sidcup High Street. Many of us said that this would not happen, and we were right.
Various planning conditions were imposed. The Council have refused to implement them. Instead the Council superstore has a “most favoured” Council treatment.
As an example, deliveries were supposed to take place in the delivery yard, with room for two delivery vehicles inside and a turning head. However both Safeway and Morrisons have always exceeded the number of delivery vehicles arriving at any one time. Consequently, these vehicles park on the double yellow lines and/or on the pavements in Jenner Close beside the superstore. Often they use the road to reverse as well. These problems were further exacerbated when the Morrisons successfully applied to turn one of the two delivery yard parking spaces into a refuse area. The Planning Committee was informed that numbers of delivery vehicles were parking for long periods of time outside the delivery yard on double yellow lines and the pavement. The Council parking department was also frequently advised that this practice is a daily occurrence and were asked to enforce parking measures. The Planning Committee granted permission to reduce the delivery space down to one space and the parking department refused to ticket illegally parked delivery vehicles in this part of Jenner Close. The parking department are quite strict about this at the high street end of Jenner Close and often issue parking tickets to delivery vehicles for the rear of high street shops there.
Quite apart from the Council permitting this “most favoured” status to their back street superstore I seriously question the supermarket’s attitude too. What is the point of paying delivery vehicle drivers to park for hours at a time outside the supermarket when it is known there is only room for one delivery vehicle at a time to unload.
Jean Gee (Mrs), - Sidcup
Council Tax
You asked for thoughts on your “fairer proposal” (My Month Feb.Chron.). I think your idea sounds very much like Thatchers unfair Poll Tax.
If I am right in my interpretation, you are proposing that someone living in a property worth £1,000,000 or more should pay the same as someone in a bed-sit. Once again this is not addressing ability to pay.
John Randall - Email
• Fair point John, but owning a high value property does not always equate to the owners ability to pay. Buildings can’t pay tax, only people. Quite a few families in bed-sits and rented accommodation are frequently a great deal better off than elderly couples living on a fixed pension. Ed
Hadlow Road
If Michael Barnbrook were truly concerned about the condition of Hadlow Road, I wonder why he did not take the matter up with one of the Sidcup councillors, of whom I am one?
Had he done so, I could have advised him that what he says is out of date. Concerned about the deteriorating condition of the road surface (despite areas of patching which were carried out before the very cold weather started) I had already raised the matter with Council officers. The fact is that subject to making the appropriate arrangements (because Hadlow Road is on a bus route) the top section of Hadlow Road should be resurfaced next month.
This has been possible because of the extra million pounds which the Council has put into highways during this year. Consequently, the Council has been able to complete its agreed programme and get on with works in the reserve programme of which this is one.
Councillor Mrs June Slaughter - Sidcup Ward
• It’s good news to hear you have managed to change Mr Bridgemans mind. Well done. The question Mr Barnbrook was asking was why did the council spend nearly a million pounds paying consultants about the state of our roads when the problem is there for all to see! Ed
Jemca site
My wife and I have just received a copy of the latest edition of the SIDCUP CHRONICLE, for which we thank you. We are always very keen to read all about the happenings in Sidcup and the surrounding area since our departure from it twenty five years ago !
Our attention was particularly drawn to the front page item concerning the proposed ‘JEMCA SITE DEVELOPMENT’ at the top end of Craybrooke Road. This is simply because before moving away to Dorset, we actually lived in Craybrooke Road for 17 years following our marriage but prior to that I lived there for at least 15 years, so all in all I personally lived in the road for a total of 32 years I therefore we have something of an affinity with the place to say the least. Our cars were usually purchased from what was then ‘Shepherds Garage’ situated on the proposed building site and I actually worked immediately opposite in what was the former Sidcup Employment Office (later the Jobcentre) and came to know a great number of Sidcup residents who came looking for work.
We still have many friends living in the town and no doubt they will keep us fully informed of this development when it begins to take shape.
JOHN RUSSELL B.A, M.Inst.BC - Lytchett Matravers, Dorset
Tough Times – Mayor’s choice
James Cleverly makes much of the Mayor’s decision to freeze the GLA precept for another year and makes a number of claims of how his choices have benefitted his constituents (Tough Times February 2010).
I am happy to praise the Mayor when he gets it right but on this occasion I fear James may be a little misguided. I would like to point out that his claims do not paint the full picture and they hide real cuts in services and massive hikes in the cost of fares for ordinary Londoners.
Freezing the precept will save the average household about £3.10 a year. The 20% increase in bus fares will cost the average household anywhere between £150 and £300 a year. Rather than making any savings, using the Oystercard has cost some people a massive 40% increase in their rail fares. Far from increasing police numbers by 500 his Metropolitan Police Service Budget shows a cut of 455 officers over the next three years.
James should really check his facts and do the maths before he starts heaping praise on the Mayor, particularly as it looks like the outer London Boroughs are picking up the costs of the tube and will probably see fewer police officers on the street.
Len Duvall AM - London Assembly Member Lewisham & Greenwich
• You could have added what Crossrail is costing businesses in the outer London Borough of Bexley who will see little added value in their balance sheets. Ed
Police issues...
Recently the people of Bexley may have missed an enormously significant moment when the Mayor of London froze City Hall’s share of the council tax for an unprecedented second consecutive year, an achievement that should not be underestimated. Instead there was much hullabaloo and gnashing of teeth from Boris’s enemies about the supposed “reduction” in police numbers over the next three years.
In fact, we are converting some administrative roles into civilian posts, which will result in more officers on the street at a lower cost - it’s called efficiency. What hasn’t been said is that many “police officers” are fulfilling administrative and clerical roles. Is this the best use of their skills and training? Wouldn’t we rather they were on the front line? Or should we maintain the almost 500 cops in the HR and computer departments? There are currently 36,000 people at the Met classified as a police officer. This is the highest number in the history of Scotland Yard. Our duty is to make sure as many of those officers as possible are out there, fighting crime on the front line. Don’t let politicians fool you with bogus arguments about numbers. Trust your own eyes and feelings. If you see more cops on the street and you feel safer, then we are getting it right.
Kit Malthouse - Deputy Mayor for Policing
Police can manage on £3,645,000,000
There is a lot of misinformation being spouted about the mayor’s budget. The truth is that the budget for 2010/11 will deliver more police to front line services than are currently there by re-directing police officers from back office duties to frontline policing. For example I should not have thought the public will think it right that 403 trained officers work in the Met’s Human Resources department? Or that a further 75 work in the Service’s IT facility.
Londoners want their police officers to police their city and so does the Mayor. That’s why 900 civilian staff are being recruited to cover these back office roles thereby allowing 550 officers to be redirected to the front. The Met are also recruiting over 2600 extra special constables who will be on duty by 2012. These are all facts. No ‘ifs’, no ‘buts’ and no increase in the Mayor’s Council Tax precept. Just facts.
James Cleverly - AM - London Assembly member for Bexley
• Let’s hope their cash investments in Iceland come good! Ed
Walking wounded
In September last year Queen Mary’s Hospital’s Accident & Emergency Unit closed between 8pm and 8am, apparently temporarily, with the Urgent Care Centre opening for 24 hours a day. Notifications were put in the local press, leaflets were circulated and posters appeared to this effect.
A couple of weeks ago my wife sustained a bad cut to her hand. Despite it being 9.30pm I took my chance with the Urgent Care Centre. The nurse had a quick look and announced that the cut was too deep for her to deal with so off we now have to go to Farnborough, or so I thought, thanking God that the cut wasn’t quite life-threatening. Then the nurse announced that we could walk next door to the A&E unit. When I reminded her that it had shut at 8pm she replied that that was only for ambulances; the man in the street can still use A&E, any evening of the week, up to 10pm!
Queen Mary’s website states that A&E is closed from 8pm as do the posters actually in the Urgent Care Centre and A&E. Why is this, when the information given is partially incorrect? Could it be that Queen Mary’s Trust wants no one in A&E so that it can say that as it’s not being used in the evening it’s no longer financially viable (despite it being full to bursting during the day)?
In the meantime, the moral of the story is...if local people need Queen Mary’s A&E between 8pm and 10pm - don’t call an ambulance, call a taxi.
We’re still collecting online signatures against the partial closure at www.faect.org.uk. Please sign if you can.
John Hemming-Clark - Chislehurst
Where is the pedestrian crossing?
The southbound Sidcup Station Road bus stop is to be relocated by the Council from its existing convenient location to pedestrian public transport users outside the small Tesco supermarket. The venue is to be turned over to shopping motorists for parking!
The replacement southbound bus stop new location will take it south over the busy Longlands Road junction and put it at the nearby junction with Alma Road – almost directly opposite the northbound bus stop. This latter stop serves ALL the frequent bus services travelling north along Station Road. It is a long established practice not to locate bus stops opposite each other. This is to allow traffic to pass buses stopping at bus stops. This new bus stop location is just south of the Longlands Road traffic light junction. The new bus stop location serves only half the bus routes travelling south. The other half of the bus routes (which have their own bus stop in Hatherley Crescent) turn south with difficulty over the Longlands Road traffic light junction from Hatherley Crescent. They will now have to try and pass between the two bus stops. They will not succeed and therefore cause traffic congestion over the Longlands Road traffic light junction and in Station Road.
Since the mid 1980s I, together with others, have been pressing the Council to provide a pedestrian facility at the Longlands Road traffic light junction. Sidcup Station is a very busy station and the bus services are also busy. It makes sense to have a pedestrian facility at these traffic lights. I recently queried the Council under the Freedom of Information Act as to alleged discussions with TfL relating to the pedestrianisation of the Longlands Road traffic light junction. The Council blamed everyone else for preventing this sensible measure. The Council can produce no correspondence with other parties to substantiate this.
However, the Council seem bent on changing other things too, incurring unnecessary expense and traffic problems. I can only assume that no Traffic Officers in nearby Wyncham House really knows how to use their feet, buses and trains – they only use cars. As such they have succumbed to the blackmail of constant unticketed illegal parking by motorists at this existing southbound bus stop because, of course, the motorist in their eyes is the important part – not the pedestrian public transport user.
Jean Gee (Mrs), - Sidcup
Sidcup councillors
Do the Sidcup Councillors hold Ward surgeries if you have a problem? I know some others do in the Borough as you see their posters in the Library, but what about in Sidcup? Surely that would be a way of engaging with residents and traders?
Could you investigate please, what do they actually do other then have photos taken and take money from us.
Peter Goodge - Email
• There are six councillors representing Sidcup residents. Three are in the Sidcup Ward and three are in the Longlands Ward. Any one of them is willing to meet with any resident who has a problem they feel they could help with. All you have to do is email your chosen councillor and they will respond. Ed
Under achievers!
At a time when the Government has expressed concerns over the under achievement by young white schoolchildren in London and in the same year that the Labour Government are proposing to introduce an Equalities Bill, a Freedom of Information Request has revealed the existence of an Ethnic Minorities Achievement Grant. The purpose of the grant is to support pupils from under achieving black and minority groups and pupils learning English as an additional language. In the financial year 2008/09 Bexley Council received a grant of £559,000 from Central Government to support the above mentioned groups. Should the Government not be concerned about all under achieving schoolchildren, irrespective of the colour of their skin or their ethnicity?
Michael Barnbrook - Prospective Parliamentary and Council Candidate - British National Party
Councils waste millions!
Who runs Bexley? Elected, accountable councillors or unelected unaccountable staff?
Councillors should be properly qualified in the subject to which their committee pertains.
In this case they should be knowledgeable and competent in planning legislation and terminologies so their decisions are technically and legally defensible. Certainly the borough solicitor should be present.
The common practice of pavement parking from 1994 breaks paving slabs and rise curb stones causes hazards, particularly for the partially sighted and elderly. Why are pavements not reinforced if this practice is to continue.
Road humps, speed tables don't calm traffic. Drivers slow down a few metres approaching them then accelerate.
Councils have wasted millions of public money on road measures which have had no impact on road safety at all and in most cases made it worse.
Frank Jarvis- Northumberland Heath
• Many people will agree with your views Frank. It is because of unqualified councillors and staff that the council have to spend millions on consultant fees. Ed
Resurfacing roads
Because of all the potholes etc. caused by excessive rain and snow, the cost of repair will be extremely high.
I would like to think that the work will not be bodged and the road finished as they were in the good old days.
The cambers were properly shaped so that the rain automatically flows to gutters and thence to drains. Now rain can lay on all parts of a road including gutters meaning pedestrians can often be soaked by passing vehicles.
Hopefully, this will again become a thing of the past.
Douglas Walters - Sidcup
Mayor hoarding taxpayers cash
Many people are struggling with their own personal budgets right now. So they will be surprised to discover that Johnson is sitting on £858 million of taxpayer's money in reserves, a steep increase of £148 million from last year.
Some reserves are vital for prudent financial management, but holding on to nearly a billion pounds of Londoners' money when they are enduring this grim recession is a scandal.
At City Hall I have urged the Mayor to use these reserves to invest in frontline services and restore the serious cut in police numbers he is now making. The Liberal Democrats believe he should also give some of this money back to hard up Londoners by reducing the council tax burden this year. Instead it looks like he’s building up reserves for a council tax cut when the next Mayoral elections come round in 2012.
His whole approach to budgeting is putting electioneering before good stewardship of Londoners' money. The full details of the Liberal Democrat budget proposals can be seen at http://www.glalibdems.org.uk/resources/index/
Mike Tuffrey - Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group