Brixton news, rumours and general chat - June 2017

[bimble]

I don't know. I said to him, please tell me what is going to happen next, I am giving you this information voluntarily, and he got quite cross about that - told me that wasn't true, that I'd been charged with an offence under section blah of blah and so I was compelled to tell him my details. I don't really feel like moaning about it much as I'm a hypocrite, I complain about litter all the time and then I go and do that, I very rarely do it but I did do it.

I expect its mainly about Lambeth council trying to claw some cash together in whatever way they can. I got a letter the other day saying 'we're reviewing your single occupancy council tax discount - if you don't reply within 10 days (confirming that you still are single occupant) we will automatically stop giving you your council tax discount and retrospectively charge you for the past year at the higher rate.

 

[Gramsci]

There was a BBC programme about this recently. Personally I'm against using private companies to enforce against anti social behaviour (including littering). As the companies are incentivised to issue tickets the results can be perverse.
Partnership with Lambeth Council for zero-tolerance approach to environmental crimes | NSL
Apart from NSL clearly benefiting from an "offence" occurring, there is also the risk of false allegations form NSL staff.

Additionally NSL probably give guidance to staff to ticket nice middle class people who will pay the tickets. Imagine ticketing Windrush Square alkies, some of whom are psychiatric patients with social workers looking after their interests.

Basically we live in a society where nobody is allowed to stand up for community standards as an individual - even to the point where the Police would say "don't get involved". Then some asshole beaurocratic councillors think they've got the solution by employing what is basically a bailiff to intimidate some of the population who might be intimidated - and thereby claim they are solving the problem at no cost to the council tax payer.

I can't spit on their graves - that would no doubt be a £200 penalty notice.

It's very New Labour. Back in the day Blunkett wanted to give extend Traffic Wardens powers to fine people in this way. At one point Traffic Wardens had "civil enforcement" on there uniform. Blunkett saw this as part of a new "citizenship". With bureaucratic busybodies enforcing it. Never really happened. This was along with bringing in identity cards.

New Labour accepted Thatcher neo liberalism in economics. But was socially authoritarian in other ways. This did not apply to the super rich or the City.

 

[Gramsci]

I don't know. I said to him, please tell me what is going to happen next, I am giving you this information voluntarily, and he got quite cross about that - told me that wasn't true, that I'd been charged with an offence under section blah of blah and so I was compelled to tell him my details. I don't really feel like moaning about it much as I'm a hypocrite, I complain about litter all the time and then I go and do that, I very rarely do it but I did do it.

I expect its mainly about Lambeth council trying to claw some cash together in whatever way they can. I got a letter the other day saying 'we're reviewing your single occupancy council tax discount - if you don't reply within 10 days (confirming that you still are single occupant) we will automatically stop giving you your council tax discount and retrospectively charge you for the past year at the higher rate.

I don't think you are compelled to give details.

Did the person show you there ID?

 

[bimble]

I don't think you are compelled to give details.

Did the person show you there ID?

He didn't. He was wearing a uniform with golden letters and numbers on the shoulder-things though, a very intimidating getup. There were 3 of them there outside the tube.

 

[twistedAM]

I expect its mainly about Lambeth council trying to claw some cash together in whatever way they can. I got a letter the other day saying 'we're reviewing your single occupancy council tax discount - if you don't reply within 10 days (confirming that you still are single occupant) we will automatically stop giving you your council tax discount and retrospectively charge you for the past year at the higher rate.

That's been standard procedure for a few years I think I used to get those letters from Lambeth when I was a single occupant.

 

[Lizzy Mac]

I don't know. I said to him, please tell me what is going to happen next, I am giving you this information voluntarily, and he got quite cross about that - told me that wasn't true, that I'd been charged with an offence under section blah of blah and so I was compelled to tell him my details. I don't really feel like moaning about it much as I'm a hypocrite, I complain about litter all the time and then I go and do that, I very rarely do it but I did do it.

I expect its mainly about Lambeth council trying to claw some cash together in whatever way they can. I got a letter the other day saying 'we're reviewing your single occupancy council tax discount - if you don't reply within 10 days (confirming that you still are single occupant) we will automatically stop giving you your council tax discount and retrospectively charge you for the past year at the higher rate.

I get that letter sometimes. I think it's standard.

 

[bimble]

I get that letter sometimes. I think it's standard.

huh, didn't know. I'm sure I never got one before (and have been single occupancy for longer than i'd care to mention).

 

[CH1]

huh, didn't know. I'm sure I never got one before (and have been single occupancy for longer than i'd care to mention).

I think they may have changed policy about a year ago.
I've had people with student status over the years staying. Students don't count for council tax.
Now the council require proof of status in order to award the discount.

I would say this is fair enough - but it might impact on people like you, where they are "just checking".

 

[Mr Retro]

I don't think you are compelled to give details.

Did the person show you there ID?

As I understand it these guys are acting on behalf of the council so can do what any council officer can do in this situation which is more or less nothing. You don't have to answer their questions and they have no power to detain you. So say nothing and walk away. How many people would actually do this in a purposefully intimidating situation is preobably very very few.

 

[trabuquera]

I get that letter sometimes. I think it's standard.

Me three - they're just trying it on and hoping some people don't notice IMHO

 

[editor]

If you're after a bike or have one to sell: Lambeth Bike Market in Brixton Street Market | Lambeth Council

 

[editor]

Barnardo’s has teamed up with Teletubbies to help young children explore Big Toddle Week 19 – 25 June 2017

WHERE: 414 Brixton Rd, Brixton, London SW9 7AY

WHEN: Saturday 17 June 2017 – Please see below schedule

- 11:30-11:50 – Photo call – Teletubbies will be taking over the shop

- 12:20-12:40 – Photo call – Teletubbies to appear in shop window

- 1:10-1:30 – Teletubbies to meet parents and children in shop and do activities including colouring and reading.

 

[Lizzy Mac]

huh, didn't know. I'm sure I never got one before (and have been single occupancy for longer than i'd care to mention).

Me too, 10 years, since I've been here. Ha. I think it's conscious pricking. Which would work on me, repressed Catholic guilt. I only get it sporadically, must be computer generated.

 

[editor]

Superb, passionate speech and a lot of what he says applies to Brixton.

 

[Gramsci]

He didn't. He was wearing a uniform with golden letters and numbers on the shoulder-things though, a very intimidating getup. There were 3 of them there outside the tube.

That's not good.

I've had the Council around to do yearly gas check and follow up to look at the boiler. When I answer the door the first thing the plumber does is show me his ID badge. They are told to do this. Im ok. But there have been people taken advantage of by those saying they are from Council.

Wearing a uniform and showing no ID. Not good. Particularly if they are trying to fine you.

 

[editor]

Brixton is heaving beyond belief tonight. Drunk punters, shouty people, happy people, dealers, cops and mobs of tourists are filling Coldharbour Lane. Just passed two guys getting frisked by The Man in plain clothes.

 

[Ol Nick]

There are a lot of people singing in Trinity Gardens right now. What's that about?

 

[editor]

Cops galore around Electric Lane/Coldharbour La area on Sat night around 1.30am. Any idea WTF was going on?

 

[David Clapson]

Anyone see a helicopter flying low and fast over Brixton today? It looked white from underneath and was too big and the wrong colour for Police or Air Ambulance. It was probably military to have permission to fly there, so maybe one of the SAS ones. Apparently they've got five Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphins. One landed on London Bridge after the Borough Market attack.

HeliHub.com UK special forces add fifth N3 Dauphin

Football, cricket and rugby union react to London Bridge and Borough Market attacks

SAS 'Blue Thunder' helicopter team called in after London attack

 

[Dan U]

Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance just got a new helicopter. It could be that, it's white for starters and a lot bigger than the other ones they use

It's the white one in the pic on this article

Specialist Aviation Services Delivers Three AW169 Completions for U.K.

Will be going to King's on the regs I should think.

 

[David Clapson]

Well that's confusing. How are we supposed to know when to get under the table because the SAS are dropping in? Please tell Kent and Surrey to paint theirs red.

It was going in the right direction to be heading away from King's. And the wheel wells looked more like the AW169 than the Dauphin. So I'm sure you're right.

 

[T & P]

Anyone see a helicopter flying low and fast over Brixton today? It looked white from underneath and was too big and the wrong colour for Police or Air Ambulance. It was probably military to have permission to fly there, so maybe one of the SAS ones. Apparently they've got five Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphins. One landed on London Bridge after the Borough Market attack.

HeliHub.com UK special forces add fifth N3 Dauphin

Football, cricket and rugby union react to London Bridge and Borough Market attacks

SAS 'Blue Thunder' helicopter team called in after London attack

Doesn't look nearly as impressive as the Silent Hawk choppers used in the bin Laden raid. Then again stealth was probably not much of a concern there.

 

[editor]

Celebrating two excellent boozers:


The Sultan and the Hand In Hand: two great traditional Brixton pubs with live music

 

[catriona]

Reposting from tradespeople thread, to recommend the knife sharpening service at Katada in Pop Brixton (yes, a useful service in Pop). The guy transformed 2 blunt old kitchen knives for me - the tips were bent & broken from levering lids off (a knife crime) and he ground them back so they're like new, for £10 the pair. He can also fix broken handles, and he's going to renovate a friend's ancient garden saw. Nice man, too. Unit S17, back left of Pop Brixton. Casaubon on here rated him too.

 

[editor]

Some things happening in Brixton this weekend - woot! Brixton What’s On: bars, gigs and clubs in and around town this weekend, Fri 23rd – Sun 25th June 2017

 

[CH1]

Reposting from tradespeople thread, to recommend the knife sharpening service at Katada in Pop Brixton (yes, a useful service in Pop). The guy transformed 2 blunt old kitchen knives for me - the tips were bent & broken from levering lids off (a knife crime) and he ground them back so they're like new, for £10 the pair. He can also fix broken handles, and he's going to renovate a friend's ancient garden saw. Nice man, too. Unit S17, back left of Pop Brixton. Casaubon on here rated him too.

I have never been to Katada and I'm sure you're being helpful, but personally I find the idea of loads of sharpened knifes round Brixton rather alarming.

Clearly there are Trumpian arguments that we all need an adequately resourced kitchen in case we might need to carve a joint. And obviously only criminals and maniacs go round stabbing people - including stabbing people to death with knives.

But I do read my Evening Standard every day.

 

[T & P]

While knife crime is both horrific and at present depressingly common, the presence of a tool sharpening trader in the area will have virtually zero effect on knife crime stats IMO. It's not as if would-be knifers have ever been much concerned by the sharpness of their blades, or the relative bluntness ever been an impediment to their actions.

 

[EastEnder]

I have never been to Katada and I'm sure you're being helpful, but personally I find the idea of loads of sharpened knifes round Brixton rather alarming.

There are plenty of places in Brixton that sell brand new, very sharp knives at reasonable prices. I'm not sure how a local knife sharpening service makes the situation any more or less alarming... If people want sharp knives for nefarious purposes, they're trivially simple to find.

 

[editor]

More beer!

Brixton micro-brewery, London Beer Lab is launching a new beer for Brixton this evening – Coldharbour Pils

 

[snowy_again]

I have never been to Katada and I'm sure you're being helpful, but personally I find the idea of loads of sharpened knifes round Brixton rather alarming.

Clearly there are Trumpian arguments that we all need an adequately resourced kitchen in case we might need to carve a joint. And obviously only criminals and maniacs go round stabbing people - including stabbing people to death with knives.

But I do read my Evening Standard every day.

I would have thought the rigorous bag searching at pop would have prevented that?

Incidentally - Claudia from Pure Vinyl is playing pop tonight: