31 January 2006

Trio accused of ‘shameful’ attendance

AN OPPOSITION councillor has criticised the poor attendence of a group of Labour councillors as "shameful". Downham councillor Mark Morris is disappointed councillors Heidi Nash, Ruth Watt and Sabina Padmore have failed to regularly attend council meetings since last April.

Cllr Nash, for Lewisham Central, has missed six out of eight full council meetings.

Cllr Padmore, for New Cross, missed five out of eight and Cllr Watt for Bellingham has missed half of the meetings.

And Cllr Padmore has missed all six Public Accounts Select Committee meetings between May and December last year.

Cllr Watt has missed all Adult Care and Health Select Committee meetings since June last year.

Trust veers towards red

A NEW report has revealed Lewisham Primary Care Trust's (PCT) finances are in poor health. The PCT has reported a £2.28m deficit, in the report penned by its director of finance and resources Tom Breen. Mr Breen admits the figures show the PCT is under "severe financial pressure".

Proposal to create new park for housing estate

A PLAN to create a new park for housing estate residents is set to be considered by planning bosses. The would see a new open space created between Cornmill Lane and Elmira Street, on the Sundermead Estate, Lewisham. The new park, which would be on Metropolitan Open Land, would include a children's play area, a cafe and ornamental gardens.

Jailed after drug bust holiday raid

A MAN whose house was raided by police while he holidayed in Greece has been jailed for possession of firearms, drugs and laundered money. Gary Alan Cheeseman, 31, of Drakefell Road, New Cross, was jailed at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday for seven years and six months. Cops found a semi-automatic pistol, seven rounds of live ammunition, a bullet-proof vest, a canister of CS gas, 19.2 kilos of cannabis resin and £31,143 in cash when they raided his home and the empty flat above on September 26.

Vomit virus hits school

PARENTS have been panicked by a vomiting and diarrhoea illness that has struck down their children. Health officials took swabs from the mouths of youngsters at Sandhurst Infant and Junior School, Catford, to find out the cause of the out-break. The problem has been ongoing for several weeks and 18 pupils were absent from one class on Wednesday.

Blackheath's Nick Ferrari - an interview

Nick Ferrari, who does not wish to state his age, is the breakfast presenter of LBC 97.3FM. In 2005 he broke the mould with a series of sell-out stage shows, re-enacting his LBC radio show for a live audience. The shows were so popular they will be restaged later this year to coincide with the April launch of his debut book, 'The World According to Nick Ferrari'. In addition to this, he has just been re-signed to LBC on a three-year contract. He lives in Blackheath with his wife and two children. Click link for full interview.