Two special needs schools in Lewisham are to be replaced by one pic: Soil Net

Lewisham teachers have been warned that their jobs could be at risk with the closure of two special needs schools in the borough.

Meadowgate and Pendragon School will close in July and replaced by Drumbeat School, a new centre for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

Staff have been told they will need to apply for jobs at the new school where positions will also be advertised externally.

Head teacher of Pendragon School, Timothy Stokes said: “None of our staff know whether they will secure posts in the new school and there is understandably a great deal of uncertainty, not to say anxiety, about the future.

“One particular concern is that Lewisham Council are insisting all teaching posts for the new school will be advertised nationally. This is considered by many to be entirely unfair and possibly prejudicial.”

One councillor told a Lewisham council meeting last month: “Some staff will be displaced due to the need to ensure the right skills mix at Drumbeat” and consequently Meadowgate and Pendragon Schools will be offering voluntary redundancies.

Cllr Paul Bell, cabinet member for children and young people told EastLondonLines he believed the situation had not been handled well: “Assurances were given to the staff that they would transfer to the new school. I feel that hard working and caring staff have been let down by the council on this matter.”

Drumbeat’s head teacher, Dr Viv Hitchcliffe, is currently in consultation with the temporary governing body on the new staff structure for the school.

Unions including the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers expressed their concerns to Lewisham Council, saying that the borough’s teachers had been assured their jobs would be secure.

These groups now call for the consultation period to be extended before anything is implemented, though the coalition of teaching unions are currently in discussions with the council.

Michael Powell-Davies, member of the Lewisham NUT said: “Students will be disturbed to find that the staff that they have built up a relationship with, may no longer be supporting and teaching them in September.”

Both schools are due to close in July, with plans for Drumbeat to open for the new school term in September this year. However building work on the school, which is on the old site of the Pendragon school in Downham, won’t be completed until April next year.

Until it is completed, Drumbeat will run from the existing Pendragon and Meadowgate sites.

Lewisham Council have said that they cannot comment on whether staff were given assurances until they have responded to the local union on the matter.

Three teens were suspected of stabbing a student at Bromley College pic: Ch@ng

Police have bailed three Lewisham students suspected of stabbing a fellow pupil in the buttock at Bromley College.

The three males, aged 16, 17 and 18 were arrested shortly after a 19-year-old male was stabbed at the college in Rockery Lane, Bromley Common, at around 12:40pm on Tuesday, 7 February.

The attack is believed to have started following an argument about a cigarette.

The victim was taken to the Princess Royal University Hospital, Farnborough, and he has been discharged since.

All three have been bailed to return to Bromley police station on 7 March.

In a statement made to the local News Shopper paper, A Bromley College spokesman said: “At Bromley College, the safety of our students is of paramount importance, and we are cooperating fully with the police in this investigation.”

Three teens from Lewisham remain under arrest pic: EastLondonLines

Three Lewisham teenagers suspected of assaulting a fellow student with a knife at Bromley College on Tuesday remain under arrest today.

The three males, aged 16, 17 and 18, are alleged to have attacked the student following an argument about a cigarette. The man, 19, was taken to Farnborough Hospital at 12.40pm after police arrived at the scene.

The hospital has announced that the man’s injuries are not life threatening.

A Bromley College spokesman told the local News Shopper paper that: “At Bromley College, the safety of our students is of paramount importance, and we are cooperating fully with the police in this investigation.”

Lewisham High Street during the riots last year pic: flickr user Stuart Bannocks

At least 24 businesses in Lewisham will benefit from a council grant of £78,000 to fund regeneration following last summer’s riots, it was revealed today.

The fund is mainly aimed at helping small independent businesses in the borough, which were directly damaged in the disorder. The Lewisham Business Recovery Fund is managed by the Council’s Economic development service. In total, 31 businesses applied for the money.

The council has also helped traders of four major markets in the borough by returning a week’s rent to help pay off damages. These markets were largely affected due to early closure during August 2011.

The scheme was supported by central government and GLA. Three of the beneficiaries of the scheme received grants of up to £2,000, and two other businesses received as much as £10,000.

Sydenham’s Home Park adventure playground, which was burned down during the riots, will be reconstructed by later this month.

In total, close to 70 locations in Lewisham faced serious trouble due to riots on 8 August 2011.

Lewisham College pic: Jisc Infonet

A consultation process on the potential merger of Southwark College and Lewisham College opened last week and will stay open until 21 February.

The Chief Executive of Skills Funding has called for comments from key partners, students, staff, local business and the local community.

The two southeast London based colleges plan to merge institutions, in the belief that combining the resources and strengths of both colleges will ensure growth. But creation of a new college, likely to be called ‘Lewisham and Southwark College’, still depends on government approval.

After Southwark College’s poor inspection result in 2008, it was decided that with a falling number of students and the economy worsening, the college needed an immediate expansion.

Lewisham College, in the neighbouring borough, is in sound financial condition, whilst Southwark College enjoys excellent contacts with major employers. Based on these factors, the colleges plan to work together and make best use of each other’s potential.

With the creation of the new college, the institutions aim at educating over 4,000 young people aged 14-19 and over 15,000 adults.

A statement on Lewisham College’s web site said: “Southwark College has faced a difficult time and its achievements fall some way short of its potential. It has, however, developed some excellent links with major employers in the local area and with the right resources this potential could be realised.

“We believe that by combining the resources and strengths of both colleges we can plan for growth. To do this we will work closely with employers, local authorities and schools to ensure that our offer makes a direct contribution to improving job prospects and increasing prosperity for the local community.”

When asked about the plan, 18-year-old Rebecca Hatchins, a catering student at Lewisham college said: “I support this plan because my course will benefit from it.  Jointly, two colleges are more likely to provide good cooking facilities for teaching.”

A college staff member who wishes to remain anonymous said: “Most of us don’t really care about this merger because it is not going to affect our jobs in a significant way.”

Miriam Lopes, a carer and a Health and Social Care student at the college, was not aware of the merger plan, but after being informed of the proposals told EastLondonLines that the merger would be beneficial because the colleges would jointly bring in better opportunities and facilities for students, as well as a greater number of courses.

The two colleges together occupy five major sites with excellent facilities. A detailed estates strategy will be developed for the college buildings.

If the two colleges successfully sail through the legal process, the merger plan will be presented by 1 June 2012.

pic: Albert Steinberger

Lewisham Council has launched an online survey asking residents for their views on safety in the borough.

Residents have the opportunity to respond until February 22.

According Metropolitan Police statistics, the crime rate of Lewisham is on par with the London average. Lewisham ranked 18th out of 32 London boroughs in December of last year, with 2040 registered criminal offences.

The areas Lewisham Central and New Cross present higher crime rates. Both wards together are responsible for 20 per cent of crime recorded in the borough.

Anti-social behaviour is the most common crime in Lewisham. Violence against the person, residential burglary and cars thefts appear as the most frequent criminal offences recorded.

According to the Council’s Safer Lewisham Strategy 2011-2014, the high anti-social behaviour figures are due to the large amount of youngsters on the borough.

The document, published last year, states: “As a statistically ‘young’ borough Lewisham has a much higher number of young people compared with adults, and young people tend to be more criminogenic between the ages of 15-21. There is an ongoing challenge of tacking Personal Robbery, Knife Crime and Youth Violence – the number of these offences tends to be higher in Lewisham than for its statistical neighbours.”

The survey also raised concerns about a large number of crimes going unreported.

According to Lewisham Council, the survey’s results will be used by The Safer Lewisham Partnership to set its priorities of the coming years. The partnership includes the local authority, the police, probation and fire services, and a number of health and voluntary organisations.

pic: oae.co.uk

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment performed to enraptured crowds in an intimate gig at The Amersham Arms last night.

With just three musicians on stage – one guitarist, one cellist and a keyboard player – the night formed part of their London Pub Tour, ‘The Night Shift’, which went off with a bang at St.George’s Tavern in Whitechapel on Tuesday.

The group’s unique ethos is reflected in their mission statement: Classical music minus the rules.

The gig was packed, showcasing pieces by Locatelli, Handel, Martini and Tartini, as well as the baroque composer Henry Purcell.

Local music lover Ray Stocks, 28, said, “It was such an unusual performance and I really enjoyed listening to this kind of music in a simple pub environment”.

“I will definitely keep an eye out for future gigs by these guys,” he added.

The group’s pub tour will continue with a performance at Paradise in Kensal Rise next Tuesday, before heading to Soho and Angel later this month.

For more info see: http://www.oae.co.uk/

Pic: DeclanTM

An investigation conducted by Lewisham police has led to four Lewisham residents being charged with fraud.

The suspects were charged as part of a group of seven after being arrested last June by Lewisham Safer Neighbourhood Officers.

The investigation began after police were alerted by several Londoners who had discovered they had credit card accounts set up in their names without their knowledge or consent.

During the arrests, police officers recovered mail believed to have been stolen, mobile phones, passports, credit cards, cash, electronic equipment and computers. The scale of the fraud is estimated to be between £100,000 and £500,000.

Harnault Hospice Kassi, 37, of Minard Road, was charged with conspiracy to steal, conspiracy to defraud, theft, possession of articles for use in fraud, possession of false identity documents and possession of identity documents relating to another.

And Funke Moshebolatan Okhira, 46, of Haredon Close, Lewisham, was charged with conspiracy to steal and false accounting, whilst Sunny Paul Okhira, 42, of Haredon Close was charged with conspiracy to steal and theft.

Monique Mandeng, 33, also of Minard Road, was charged with conspiracy to steal, conspiracy to defraud, possession of articles for use in fraud and possession of identity documents relating to another.

Three other suspects include a man from Essex, a man from Greenwich and a woman from Bexley.

The six suspects will appear at Kingston Crown Court on April 11.

photo: Hanna Webb

Lewisham Council is planning a romantic, feasting and fun evening with a candle light dinner on Valentine’s Day next week to raise money for young women with breast cancer.

The event, which will be held at Phoenix Restaurant in Lewisham College, welcomes groups as well as singles. While a three-course meal will cost as less as £ 20, lots of fun activities will make the participants win fun prizes.  At the same time, there will be a string quartet playing music which will keep add to the ambience throughout the evening.

The money earned will go to Lavender Trust, which raises money to fund information and support services for young women with breast cancer.

The council organised a similar event last year and its success lead to a sequence. Last year, the council managed to raise £1,200 for the Lavender Trust.

The Lavender Trust is the Mayor of Lewisham’s chosen charity and Lewisham Council has been raising funds for the Trust since its launch in 1998. So far, Lavender has received over £122,000 from the council.

People interested in attending the event can make reservations by calling Derek Johnson on 020 8314 8636.

East London Lines  is looking for the most romantic songs of all time. If you only had one song to express your love, what would it be? Tweet or email us with your answers.

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Lewisham Police appealed today for the public’s help in tracking down three men who have broken their conditions of parole.

David Elliot, Kevin Brown and Malcolm Alan Tripp have all been recently released from prison but have breached the terms of their licence and are now wanted on a recall to prison.

David Elliott is a white 50-year-old male, with a slim build and a height of 5’7. He has short dark brown hair, brown eyes, clean-shaven and has a tattoo on his right hand.  Elliott was sentenced for five years in April 2009 at the Woolwich Crown Court after being convicted for grievous bodily harm.

Kevin Brown is a 36-year-old, black male, with a heavy build and a height of 5’11. He has short black shaven hair, brown eyes and a goatee beard. Brown was sentenced to five years imprisonment in April 2008 for supplying a controlled Class A drug.

Malcolm Alan Tripp, is a 47-year-old, white male with a height of 6’ and of slim build.  He has blue eyes, shoulder length, wavy ginger hair and is clean-shaven. There is a tattoo of a devil on his right arm and scars on his left abdomen.  Tripp was sentenced to two years imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court in March 2011 for burglary.

All men are believed to be dangerous and the police have warned the public not to approach the suspects but to contact them immediately.