Call to Labour councillor: "Pay back £30,000"

3.32.27pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 17th Jun 2009

Cllr Mark has attended just three of the select committee meetings in three years

Official figures released by Lewisham Council show that Lewisham Central Labour councillor Edward Mark has attended just three committee meetings over three years, during which time he has received £28,687 in allowances.

In addition to not attending important committee meetings, the councillor, elected in May 2006, has failed to show up at local ward assembly meetings and advice surgeries.

"Local residents are being let down," says Cllr Chris Maines, leader of the Liberal Democrat Council Group. "If Cllr Mark is unable to carry out his duties, he should resign.

"I gather Cllr Mark has happily accepted nearly £30,000 from tax payers in payment for being a local councillor but he has not undertaken the duties. He should pay back the money."

Many Lewisham residents want an explanation why the Labour councillor has missed 28 out of 31 meetings of the Healthier Communities Committee, during a period when the committee was involved in fighting to maintain services at University Hospital Lewisham. The hospital is in the ward that Cllr Mark was elected to represent.

Local resident Max Calo said, "There are many community projects that desperately need extra funds and could use this money - perhaps Cllr Mark should donate the £30,000 to one of them. We would at least see some local benefit from the money."