Ladywell Assembly is losing the small amount of council funding that has been used each year to support local initiatives in the ward, such as Brockley Max, street tree planting and a host of youth projects.
The council has axed the funding, which amounted to £12,500 in the 2018-19 financial year, as it struggles to cut £30m from its total budget of £240m by 2021.
The cuts, driven by the government’s tight squeeze on local government, will hit several council services, community funding and grants to voluntary groups. Council jobs are also being lost.
The council has described the cuts as a “human tragedy” and accused the government of destroying local councils.
Councillors hope to use the community infrastructure levy (CIL), paid by developers in the borough, to replace some of the assembly funds.
Lewisham’s ward assemblies were set up in 2011 to encourage resident involvement in local issues and improve the engagement of councillors in the communities they represent.
Assembly volunteers say the cuts could undermine the work of the assemblies by removing the small amounts of funding that have been used each year to support local initiatives and activities.
Ladywell assembly awarded £12,500 in the latest financial year to initiatives on safer streets and lower pollution levels, increased youth provision and street trees..
The cuts have emerged as Lewisham completes a local democracy review aimed at strengthening local democracy and improving the transparency of council decision making.
Councils can choose to impose a community infrastructure levy on new developments. The funds then have to be spent on local infrastructure such as safer road schemes, schools, social care facilities, green spaces and leisure centres.
Councillors hope a portion of the levy funds can be set aside and used to support the priorities identified by local assemblies. But they have yet to decide how CIL money should be allocated given most of the funds are raised on developments in Deptford and New Cross.