Ladywell ward October 2010

LEWISHAM
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
ladywell@lewishamlibems.org.uk www.lewishamlibdems.org.uk

Libraries under threat

• 5 of 12 libraries to close
• £60m cut in services planned
by Labour-run Council before
elections
Lewisham's Labour Mayor is consulting
on the closure of five of the
borough’s twelve libraries as part of a
£60m package of cuts. Preparation
for the cuts started last year
following the financial crisis, and in
April council officers began drafting
plans to target Library spending.
Lib Dem Cllr Chris Maines said at the
last council meeting "Most people
understand the need to deal with the
huge national deficit but why start Crofton Park library could remain open if
the cuts by closing Libraries?” the cuts are spread more fairly: if 70 of
Lewisham Council's employees with the highest
There are many areas where the
salaries took a 10% pay cut, enough money
Council spends vast sums of money would be saved to keep the five libraries open.
that can be saved, Lewisham Council Current proposals will see library staff,
spent over £12 million last year on generally on lower salaries, losing their jobs.
external consultants - one single books, unemployed people can
consultant earned a staggering get Internet access and many older singled out for closure is their poor
£263,000. residents find libraries a lifeline. The state of repair. It appears that the
Liberal Democrats believe libraries libraries targeted for closure include Council has failed to repair leaking
play a vital role in our community. Crofton Park and New Cross. One roofs and subsidence and now say it
They help introduce young people to reason some libraries have been would be cheaper to close them.

Make your
vote count!
“ Too many MPs have a job for life...
... this has led to complacency, as we saw with
the expenses scandal last year.

We will finally be given our say in the

referendum on 5th May 2011. The proposed
Yes! To Fairer Votes is a non-party political umbrella Alternative Vote ("AV") method of electing MPs
organisation which will lead the referendum campaign in builds on the strengths of the current system
support of the Alternative Vote. while eliminating many of its weaknesses.

All political groups represented on Lewisham Council have
expressed their commitment to electoral reform, as have many
non-political campaigning groups. If you’d like to help the
campaign, use the contact details overleaf or join in on-line.
Politicians will be forced to work harder to earn
and keep our support. People will at last be able
to vote for what they really want.
We'll be fighting to secure a 'Yes' vote and you

”
can be part of it.
e yestofairervotes@lewishamlibdems.org.uk
takeback2010 takebackparliament
www.yestofairervotes.org
 Progress from
Call for action on Lib Dems in
knife crime ignored government
The Liberal Democrats have been
Lewisham Lib Dem highlighting some of the progress
councillor, Duwayne achieved through their participation in
Brooks, has slated the Coalition government, and been
open about the difficult times ahead.
Lewisham council’s
failure to respond to Saddled with a huge national debt
the spate of knife from Labour’s economic mess,
crime in recent equivalent to £22,400 for every man,
months. woman and child, the government has
also had to take some tough decisions
Cllr Brooks called for about public services in order to
emergency action at balance the books.
the beginning of the As well as seeking to make the
summer to deal with spending cuts as fair as possible, in
the frightening just five months a huge number of
incidence of knife progressive policies have been enacted
crime, but the – thanks to the Liberal Democrats:
Cllr Brooks ( ), has called on Lewisham
Labour Mayor and • Ending imprisonment of children in
council and the local police force to get
councillors decided to defer any to grips with knife crime in the borough. immigration cases
action until the autumn. Between
• Outlawing finger printing of children
the end of June and beginning of
seriousness but a knife attack can at school without parental permission
September there were 59 knife
have destroy a young person's life.” • Restoring the pensions-earning link
attacks locally.
“A detailed plan to deal with this
Cllr Brooks commented “The
problem is needed but Labour are
summer can be a time of increased
ignoring it. Crime is the main
tension among some young people:
concern among local residents,
we needed an action plan to take
particularly young people, and we
knives off our streets. Labour did
must work with everybody involved
nothing and there were 60
to ensure reducing knife crimes is a
incidents. These crimes varied in
priority.”
Lib Dem Deputy PM Nick Clegg at
the UN General Assembly confirming
Get in touch! our commitment to overseas aid.
• Taking 900,000 low paid workers out
If you have a comment or if there is any Name: of Income Tax altogether
issue you would like us to help you with, Address:
• Making top earners pay 10% more
let us know...
capital gains tax

Telephone: • Increasing tax credits for the poorest

E-mail: • Putting £2.5 billion into child tax
credits so that children of all
backgrounds get a good start in life
Could you help us? Return this slip to:
• Introducing a banking levy and an
The Liberal Democrats are the real alternative in Ladywell Ladywell Liberal independent commission to look at
ward We’re not supported by big business or the unions breaking up the fat cat mega banks
and rely on local people like you to help and support our
Democrats
• Scrapping ID cards
campaigning. Can you help us improve our area? FREEPOST
• Introducing a Referendum Bill for the
I can help deliver Focus newsletters in my area RSAJ-GRSR-JUAG Alternative Vote – fulfilling a Labour
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GNI on overseas aid