Ingrid Chetram: LibDem’s Lewisham fight back

After losing a higher than expected number of councillors in Lewisham at the elections in May, Lewisham LibDem’s are hoping that local resident, academic and mother of three, Ingrid Chetram can begin the work to rebuild  the party by winning a seat in tomorrow’s council By-election.

Chetram is hoping to be elected in the Ladywell ward in a By-election sparked by the resignation of Labour Cllr Tim Shand, who is leaving to take up work in South Africa.

The seat had previously been held by the Green Party, but was lost to Labour when they swept to power taking all three seats in the ward at the May council elections. Winning it from the Greens who were mired in controversy over the proposed building of a school locals didn’t think was needed.


Chetram, originally from what was British Guyana in South America was a teacher before settling in Ladywell, South London to further her academic career. She cites living in the area as well as her socially conscious work as a strong foundation for representing local people on the Council: 



“I am a single mother with three teenage sons. Whilst achieving some academic success along the way I have continued studying part-time while working exhaustingly and raising my family with a good moral outlook on life.

“Over the years I have seen my neighbourhood move with the times, although sadly not always improve with them. With the proposed £60 million cuts announced by the current Mayor I fear that we will see yet a further decline to many of our essential local services. This will threaten the underpinning of our community’s vitality and cohesion. I want to be a guardian of our local values and standards.”



Chetram highlights her work locally saying:



“I have worked as a councillor for two drug and alcohol agencies in Lewisham (supervising work in rehabs across the Borough and particularly two supported houses in my ward).

“I have managed a homeless crisis day centre in Deptford and worked with disaffected groups of residents who are in supported housing. My work experience has taught me how degenerating communities can implode and how individuals can become delinquent, abuse substances and become criminalized which in turn can create victims. But I am a realist and know that services have to be paid for from what we can afford. The issue is to get our priorities right and this requires local consensus.” 




Other election candidates include Conservative, Ben Appleby, a management consultant who lives in Hither Green; former Labour Councillor Carl Handley who was a Lewisham Councillor for 12 years until 2006 and Ute Michel a former Green party Councillor.



Ingrid Chetram has her work cut out for her as the ward vote breakdown at the recent local elections suggests a Labour/Green split; the Liberal Democrats have an 800 vote deficit to make up.

Recognising the fight ahead, the Liberal Democrats have selected in Chetram an ardent campaigner, she says she has spoken with over a hundred local people and with her team delivered 6000 leaflets putting her case to the people of the Ladywell ward.

For information about Ingrid Chetram visit her campaign blog or find her on Facebook for regular updates and news.