I visited some of the shops along Bexley Road today with councillor Eileen Glover.  The small businesses there are struggling, no question.  As if the recession wasn't enough, the parking problems caused by an increase in students at the university is causing serious problems.  And now, with proposals for timed parking bays which are meant to help residents living in surrounding roads, there are even greater fears for this parade's future.  As one small business owner said to me this morning, if people only have 20 minutes to pick up a prescription, buy a pint of milk and pay a bill at the Post Office, it'll cost them a £60 fine when they overstay their parking space.

This is a massive problem, for residents and small businesses.  Some said the car parks at the Avery Hill campus are not being used as much as they could be since parking charges were introduced, but when I visited this morning they were both full to bursting.  I'm afraid the problem has been caused by the university expansion.  This is a problem we must solve, and quickly.  Otherwise it won't just be the recession that's to blame for shops closing in this parade.  The effect will be devastating to the whole community.

I was one of a small number of people in the public gallery last night for the first Full Council meeting since June. It was a rather limited agenda when one considers how many issues need tackling in this borough, but we have come to expect that in recent years.  Before the meeting I met delegations of residents who wished to hand petitions to local councillors on issues including parking around Avery Hill Park and traffic calming measures needed on Montbelle Road.

I was struck by the obvious discomfort of the Council leader who, when invited to say whether he has discussed any cuts to Council spending after the next election if he remains in charge, seemed unable (unwilling?) to answer the question.  For those who don't remember, after the last election Labour slashed £24 million in spending and introduced a swathe of new charges for residents.  

I was more impressed by the young lad, Danny Harris, who came to present a petition of over 140 signatures for a new skateboard park in Avery Hill Park.  He asked to address the meeting because he never received a reply when he submitted his previous petition.  The Labour Cabinet Member said she'd never received it, but was keen to make amends.  He spoke more eloquently than many of the elected members who spoke last night and with more conviction.  I have long said we need more facilities for young people in this area.  I was pleased to see Cllr Spencer Drury also call for the existing skateboard park in Horn Park to be restored (the only one in Eltham).

As usual, questions about the manner of treatment dished out to residents of the Ferrier Estate were handled with a mixture of evasion and denial.  And we were told that Greenwich has had great success in getting kids to go to school - despite having one of the highest truancy rates in the country!  No wonder so few residents bothered to watch 'democracy' in action last night.