The leader of Southwark LBC has criticised the Government's Big Society agenda as nothing more than a ‘sticking plaster' to mask the impact of public spending cuts.

Speaking after prime minister, David Cameron, visited Peckham in the south London borough last week, to promote a community organiser scheme, Cllr Peter John said the Government had failed to harness community spirit through its controversial programme. ‘This scheme looks like a sticking plaster to patch up a bigger problem, which is the fact that Southwark has lost more than £8m in funding over the last two years from its voluntary and community sector budget, because of sharp cuts by central government,' said Cllr John.