A councillor has called for a neighbourhood funding scheme to be scrapped as a new report revealing how developers’ cash is spent was accused of lacking transparency.

Concerns have been raised over how Greenwich Council spends the money it makes from developers.

Authorities benefit from Section 106 funding and community infrastructure levy if a large application is passed, with Greenwich making upwards of £10m a year.

The council made £11m last year alone in S106 funding and a further £2m in community infrastructure levy.

At a scrutiny meeting last night, councillors were critical of a new report put forward by officers for not providing enough “meat” on how the money was being spent.

MORE - Greenwich Council told to act over woman 'detained' in hospital

The new report reveals how much has been spent in each ward, but not what projects or improvements specifically the council were funding.

Cllr John Fahy, backed up by other councillors, said there needed to be more transparency over how developers’ money is being divided up and spent.

“I think we ought to be concerned about openness and transparency,” Cllr Fahy said.

“The information should be readily available for the community instead of us telling them what is good for them.

“I have no idea as a member of this council how this money is spent. It ought to be more transparent on what the projects were that the money has gone on.

“We seem to have a very narrow view on how money can be spent across the borough – other boroughs have a wider view of how they can spend this money.”

Some of the money is used for the Greenwich Neighbourhood Growth Fund, a pot which projects in specific areas can bid for a part of. 

Councillors were critical of the set-up, saying deprived areas were missing out.

Glyndon councillor Adel Khaireh said that needed to be scrapped as several wards, such as his, were not seeing improvements.

Cllr Khaireh said: “I agree that there needs to be more meat to this – we spend X amount of money on these wards but doing what exactly?

“I think that there are wards that get nothing – it needs to be put on paper why they get nothing.

MORE - Erith's Carnegie Building reopens and welcomes The Bookstore Café

“The Neighbourhood Growth Fund – the parts of the borough that need it most, Abbey Wood, Plumstead, Glyndon, get just £30k – that doesn’t go a long way.

“There needs to be a balance. It needs to be scrapped, it’s been done wrong and needs to be redone again.

“We need to put our hands in our pockets, £30k? Triple it. Go into reserves if we need to – show communities we feel what they feel.”

Money is spent in areas with more developments, councillors were told, while half of what the council makes goes towards a £15m bill from TfL for the new Crossrail facilities in Woolwich.

Other uses include Greenwich Local Labour and Business, the council’s employment service.

Cabinet member for resources, Christine Grice, said: “I am all for being open and transparent and I have heard what people say – I will think carefully about what we can do to improve.

“I think a lot of it is down to communication. There are often different opinions.”