From 2006 to 2010, I was a councillor for Lee Green ward in the London Borough of Lewisham. During that time, I blogged regularly and in 2009 I won the Tim Garden Award for the Best Blog by a Liberal Democrat Holding Public Office. My blog posts from my term of office are archived here in case they prove of use to former constituents, or to those who share my annoyance with faulty street furniture
I must admit, I haven’t known whether to be terrified or amazed by Google Streetview. This is the new application that lets you view panoramic shots of entire streets. For a local example, see this shot of Staplehurst Road on the Hither Green Forum site.
However, setting aside my uneasiness about the Orwellian nature of the whole thing, I am finding it incredibly useful as a councillor! I’m forever noticing potholes or missing street signs and then getting home having forgotten which house or landmark they are beside. Now if I haven’t got a pen to scribble on the back of my hand with, I can log onto Google Streetview, spot the door number the problem is nearest and fire off an email to the Council.
However, tonight I’ve discovered that even Google isn’t all-seeing. It seems they didn’t bother to drive down Stoneycroft Close on the Newstead Estate. Try as I might, I can only see views of the South Circular, Birch Grove or Burnt Ash Hill. So I’ve made a real-world visit to make a note (and take a photo) of the damaged wall that I spotted on Saturday.
