The £210k which the government has given to Lewisham Council will go “quickly” if there is a major Brexit disruption, a council boss has said.

But the council could “dip into” a £30m general fund if “something really terrible happened.”

Questions about the council’s financial position once the UK leaves the EU on March 29 were raised at a public accounts select committee.

Cllr Alan Hall asked whether the council had put aside reserves or funding, with Brexit expected to have an impact on the council.

David Austin, head of corporate resources, said the council was “making arrangements” and had working groups looking at emergency situations, how healthcare might be impacted and how the council might be affected.

“The government is starting to think about the long-term, they are asking questions through the ministry for all councils to report to,” Mr Austin said.

The council was also involved in London-wide plans through the Local Government Association, he said.

But the council has not set aside a specific Brexit reserve, he said.

“We just have to prioritise over others in an emergency as they become needed.

“We don’t, given that we are using reserves at the moment, have the luxury to un-earmark, if you like, certain things.

“We do of course retain £30m of general money so if something really terrible happened we could dip into it. The money is there,” he said.

But the £210k the council has received from the government, about £0.70 per resident, was not much help.

He added: “It will go really quickly if there is a major disruption.”