AN OPPOSITION councillor has criticised the poor attendence of a group of Labour councillors as "shameful".

Downham councillor Mark Morris is disappointed councillors Heidi Nash, Ruth Watt and Sabina Padmore have failed to regularly attend council meetings since last April.

Cllr Nash, for Lewisham Central, has missed six out of eight full council meetings.

Cllr Padmore, for New Cross, missed five out of eight and Cllr Watt for Bellingham has missed half of the meetings.

And Cllr Padmore has missed all six Public Accounts Select Committee meetings between May and December last year.

Cllr Watt has missed all Adult Care and Health Select Committee meetings since June last year.

Cllr Morris said: "The current large majority of Labour councillors on Lewisham Council has led to a culture where a specific group of Labour councillors think their attendance at Lewisham Council meetings does not matter.

"Many Labour councillors simply can't be bothered to effectively take part in this process and this is shameful."

Labour group chief whip, Councillor Helen Klier, said: "None of the Labour councillors in Lewisham have fallen short of the Council's official procedures regarding attendance at meetings. Our councillors are very active in the community."