The 2010 local elections in Lewisham could be held under a system of proportional representation following support of a Liberal Democrat proposal at a recent Council meeting.

Proposing the motion Cllr Mark Morris said, "Lewisham Council have volunteered for various pilot schemes at previous elections. Now that Scotland have agreed to fight next years local election by a fairer system, Lewisham should lead the way in England."

The motion which had cross-party support noted that the Scottish local elections were being fought by single transferable vote (STV) and called for the next Lewisham full council elections to be fought under a fairer system. A proposal will be put to the relevant government department requesting permission for Lewisham to operate a pilot scheme at the 2010 local elections.

Cllr Morris added, "If Councils up and down the Country demand STV for local elections the Government might agree to several pilot schemes and that could herald the end of the first pass the post system south of the border as well as in Scotland."

Lewisham Council has a record of supporting a fairer voting system having held an independent review in 1999 of the local elections which advocated that Lewisham Council adopt the Additional Member System.