26 February (Part 2) - Catching up on things
In the gutter of public service
Remember this? It is the overflowing gutter at an L&Q managed house which causes all sorts of problems with damp. It was
first published here in June last year
although the video is actually several months older.
Nothing has changed apart from two things. The lady occupant says her doctor has written
a supportive letter blaming damp for exacerbating her lung condition and L&Q has
responded by limiting her ability to make complaints. Their equivalent of Bexley
Council’s vexatious procedures. She also says her continued tenancy is under
threat if she continues to complain.
Why is it that so many people who gravitate into public service jobs are totally
unreasonable? My own theory is that they are bossy people who lack the
intelligence to work their way into influential positions by dint of their own merit.
They can only do so by hiding behind petty rules and regulations.
Spreading his tentacles wide
Kulviner Singh’s company has made another planning application. Not for
the first time he favours old pubs and has the land behind The White Hart in Erith
High Street in his sights. God help the neighbours.
18/03247/FULM
238 Woolwich Road
The notorious ‘nuclear bunker’ that encroaches on the Lesnes Abbey Wood and
destroyed the immediate neighbours’ gardens is subject to yet another planning
application. It’s to retain the walls that have been built in the back garden. Presumably someone thinks it stands some hope of overturning
the enforcement notice issued a month ago.
It’s Kulvinder Singh’s company again.
19/00194/FUL
Freedom of Information
I occasionally take a look at the FOI responses that Bexley publishes on its
website and it’s not difficult to feel sorry for the people who have to answer
some of the questions. So much of what may be found there could easily be labelled trivia.
My last look made me wonder if Bexley Council is carefully censoring the things it would
rather not make too public. I couldn’t find what I was looking for.
Last week someone sent me their FOI response, it listed every road and car park in Bexley that
had been the subject of a PCN.
I found the figure relating to Yellow Box Junctions a little surprising. Seventeen months ago
the
departing Finance Director Alison Griffin let slip, maybe deliberately, that
Bexley was looking to raise an extra £500,000 from merciless enforcement of Yellow Box Junctions in
2018/19. The FOI reveals that the number of PCNs issued last year was…
Broadway/Upton Road : 1,370
Central Avenue/Stephenson Close : 1,016
So about 2,400 a year some of which will be successfully appealed and many will
be discounted to half price. At the very most it adds up to no more than £300,000.
In the whole of last year only two penalties were issued in my road and in the
local shopping street, Wilton Road, there were only 13. Probably because
continuing Crossrail related road works have destroyed the yellow lines.
Electric bikes
Bexley Council is considering throwing in its lot with
bike sharing company Lime. They will cost 15 pence a minute. If you manage
to go flat out and do 20 miles per hour that’s 45 pence a mile.
I think I will stick to my car. Costs nothing to run.