The Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Theresa Villiers helped Eltham PPC David Gold and the Eltham West Council Candidates campaign in and around Westthorne Avenue. Issues that were raised by local residents were cuts to the local NHS services and funding for the armed forces.

With the London Olympics around the corner, you would think that the Labour council would be making the most of its sports facilities. However, their track record at providing and maintaining facilities for young people interested in sport is woeful. Last summer, Labour did a disservice to Charlton's residents by closing the Lido unnecessarily. Not only that, but they have failed to keep Maryon Park tennis courts in good repair. Charlton's Conservative candidates have pressurised Labour to make a commitment to the tennis courts.

From Spencer Drury, PPC for Greenwich & Woolwich:

I recently received an email from a local Conservative who wrote:   "This week the discredited Labour government have called upon the Royal Navy after successive years of turning their backs on the British armed forces and a Ministry of Defence that it has intentionally starved of cash at a time of multiple overseas commitments. 

In Labour’s March Budget, the Chancellor announced that Britain would spend more on debt interest (£43bn) than Transport (£22bn), the Police (£36bn) or Defence (£40bn) next year. As David Cameron said "the only thing Labour bring are debt, waste and taxes".

In January, Charlton’s Conservative team joined residents and the ward’s Safer Neighbourhood Team to discuss problems in the area. Issues raised included Lorries using residential roads, increased burglaries and anti-social behaviour. Residents of Eastcombe Avenue and Bramshot Avenue in particular are worried about the effects of large lorries using these streets to get to the car compound at the rear of Bramshot Avenue. Not only is Eastcombe Avenue used by lorries, it is also used as a rat-run.

While Labour candidates continue to try and scare council tenants to win votes, Conservatives in Eltham South have been dealing with the problems created by the Labour council's housing policies.

The Labour Government and local Labour Council are failing the most vulnerable members of our community. Their crippling mismanagement of the social housing problem in Woolwich has caused a 75% increase in the waiting list, leaving many families suffering in overcrowded conditions. Like many other problems that face Woolwich today, the Labour Councillors seem to turn a blind eye.

Conservatives in Greenwich and nationally have clear plans to support our children in doing better at school. In the 2009 league tables, Greenwich Secondary Schools have the worst results in London at 5 A* to C grades for GCSE. Also only 14.5% of Greenwich GCSE students achieve a ‘traditional’ education of C grade or above in English, Maths, Science and a foreign language. At the same time fewer students are getting places at the schools their parents choose, with almost 1 in 10 primary children not going to a school of their choice.

 
Eltham South Conservative campaigners, Adam Thomas and Matt Clare recently spoke to residents on Ladysmith, Halons and Enslin Roads regarding parking problems.  Adam and Matt handed out parking surveys and talked to residents about the possible solutions.
 

Your Shooters Hill councillor candidates for 2010.

From Left to right: Simon Emmett, Mo Burgess, and Richard Chandler.

Richard Chandler has lived in Greenwich most of his life, and was both born and educated in the borough. He is passionate about this community, being actively involved in local charitable activities and having worked with the Conservatives in Shooters Hill since 2004. He currently works for the NHS, and prior to this was a manager for a wine retailer.

Charlton Conservatives have written to the Planning Inspectorate to register residents’ objections to a proposal to develop 209 flats up to six storeys high at the rear of 40 Victoria Way. This development would affect residents of Victoria Way, Eastcombe Avenue and surrounding streets. Planning permissions has been refused several times for this development. However, the developer has asked the Planning Inspectorate to process an appeal.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called the next General Election for 6th May 2010. Greenwich Conservatives Parliamentary Candidates David Gold (Eltham), Spencer Drury (Greenwich & Woolwich) and Colin Bloom (Erith & Thamesmead) will be standing for change on May 6th.

Your Conservative candidates will continue to fight for the preservation of local amenities. Local shops are under threat in New Eltham and the Mound; your local councillors have lobbied the council to look at reducing rent levels over the last four years to encourage small businesses to take up leases and to revitalise facilities for the local community.