http://lwplibdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Lewisham West & Penge Liberal Democrats en-GB Lewisham West & Penge Liberal Democrats http://lwplibdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2008 Lewisham West & Penge Liberal Democrats 2008-07-04T20:05+01:00 United Kingdom http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000029/council_slams_mps_hypocrisy_on_pos.html Lewisham council last night passed a Liberal Democrat sponsored motion censuring the borough's Labour MPs for their hypocrisy over the Post Office's plans to close three branches in the borough. Two of the MPs have backed local campaigns to maintain Post Offices in their areas, but all three Labour MPs voted to back the closure programme in Parliament. 2008-04-24T00:00+01:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000025/forest_hill_policing_short_changed_say_lib_dems.html Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats show that Forest Hill ward has been short-changed by Mayor Livingstone's Safer Neighbourhoods policing scheme. The ward is estimated to be short by 4 uniformed officers compared with next-door Perry Vale and Sydenham wards, which have similar populations and proximity to high streets, schools and stations. 2008-04-11T17:17+01:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000028/lewisham_lib_dem_councillors_respond_to_nhs_consultation.html Lewisham's 17-strong Liberal Democrat councillor group have submitted a 'none of the above' response to the 'A Picture Of Health' consultation on proposed cuts to NHS hospital services in southeast London. 2008-04-07T00:00+01:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000027/on_the_march_to_save_nhs_services.html Time's running out to respond to the 'Picture of Health' NHS Consultation. This is a really important consultation for the future of healthcare in our area - proposals in 'A Picture of Health' will see cuts at Lewisham Hospital - including threats to the A&E and maternity units. 2008-03-30T00:00+00:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000026/cut_income_tax_in_budget.html Alistair Darling should cut Income Tax and scrap Council Tax in his budget this week. 2008-03-10T00:00+00:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000024/backing_brians_bid_to_save_local_post_offices.html Lewisham West & Penge Lib Dems are backing London Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick's campaign to save local post offices. 2008-02-19T12:37+00:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000023/liberal_democrats_select_tom_papworth_for_bexley__bromley.html Crystal Palace councillor Tom Papworth has been selected to fight the Bexley & Bromley London Assembly constituency in the London elections on 1st May. The Liberal Democrats came second in Bexley & Bromley at the last elections in 2004, pushing Labour into fourth place. 2008-02-14T00:00+00:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000022/a_long_wait_for_a_swim_in_forest_hill.html Forest Hill Pools will be reopened with two new swimming pools, a fitness suite and new community space thanks to a 2-year campaign by local councillors, residents and civic societies. The Pools closed in early 2006 due to safety concerns and the Labour Mayor of Lewisham, under the pressure of imminent elections, offered only one new pool or two refurbished old pools with a short lifespan. 2008-02-11T00:00+00:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000021/noshow_mayor_misses_crucial_budget_meeting.html Lewisham's Labour Mayor, Steve Bullock, failed to turn up for a crucial meeting where his budget proposals for next year were to be scrutinised. The Mayor was required to attend the meeting of the Public Accounts Committee held on Tuesday 5^th February, where councillors and the public would be able to question the Mayor about his proposals for net expenditure of £262m in 2008/9. 2008-02-08T00:00+00:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000020/the_mayors_20089_budget.html All interested members of the public are welcome to join Lewisham's Public Accounts Committee as we scrutinise the Mayor of Lewisham's spending plans for 2008/9. The meeting will take place at 7pm on Tuesday 5^th February, in Committee Room 1 at the Town Hall in Catford. 2008-01-31T12:00+00:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000019/mayor_rejects_call_to_apologise_for_chrysalis_pfi_fiasco.html Labour Mayor Steve Bullock has rejected a call from Forest Hill Lib Dem councillors Alex Feakes and Philip Peake to apologise to council tenants and leaseholders in the area for the failure of the Council's preferred Chrysalis PFI scheme for the regeneration of social housing. The government chucked out the PFI proposal because it failed to meet the standard required to release funding, citing 90 problems with the bid. 2008-01-24T09:42+00:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000017/rising_exclusions_of_special_needs_children_prompts_call_for_rethink_of_inclusion_drive.html Teachers' leaders have joined with Lib Dem MPs and campaigners to highlight the increasing numbers of children with special educational needs (SEN) being excluded from schools. Figures unearthed by Liberal Democrat Education spokesman David Laws MP show that over half of all exclusions now involve SEN pupils, up from 45 per cent four years ago, and throws into doubt the recent drive by Lewisham Council to increase the number of SEN children taught in mainstream schools rather than by specialist provision. 2008-01-05T12:00+00:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000016/lewisham_west__penge_liberal_democrats_welcome_nick_clegg_as_new_lib_dem_leader.html LIBERAL Democrats in Lewisham West & Penge constituency have welcomed the election of Nick Clegg as the new Leader of the Party. The result of the vote of Liberal Democrat members was announced on Tuesday 18th December. 2007-12-18T15:00+00:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000018/save_our_town_centres.html Years of neglect by Labour and Tory Governments and local councils have seen town centres in the area suffer a slow decay. A combination of bureaucratic regulation, a lack of clear Government strategy and deference to big retailers have left local businesses and shops facing an uphill struggle to meet changing shopping habits. 2007-12-15T11:00+00:00 http://lwplibdems.org.uk/news/000014/the_chrysalis_crisis.html Rumours of some months past have been confirmed with the release of papers which state that the Mayor of Lewisham is being advised to cancel the complex 'Chrysalis PFI4' project for delivering decent homes to 3,700 households in Forest Hill and Sydenham. 2007-11-29T12:00+00:00