Lewisham’s mayoral candidates could see more decision-making power given to local communities, with a review of the mayor and cabinet system on the cards.

Labour’s candidate Damien Egan said he would hold a ‘local democracy review’ if elected, in an effort to share decision making.

“We have got lots of people in the community who are the eyes and ears on the ground who know how things should be running,” he told the News Shopper.

“I am a localist and believe in devolving power to communities. We are going to be having a local democracy review if I am elected, to look at how the mayor and cabinet and cabinet and councillors, how we could work better and share decision making.”

He said the council could share decision making with local communities, and Lewisham’s local assembly meetings could see their powers extended.

Local assemblies are open meetings where the public decides how to improve their area.

Mr Egan said the local democracy review would look into “expanding how the council can share in decision making with local communities.

“We have got a local assemblies programme which is heralded from other councils and people come to us to see how it’s done but I think we can expand that and give it a real political decision making power.”

Liberal Democrats mayoral candidate Chris Maines said more power should be given to local groups.

“We should be devolving power down to neighbourhoods. Lets have a Forest Hill council, a Sydenham council – not necessarily full time councillors, but decision making should be delegated to the lowest level it can be,” he said.

He said there were many decisions that could be taken locally at local assemblies or could be devolved to the lowest level.