Southwark Council’s leader says reductions in youth sport funding have played a role in the increase in violent crime in the borough.

Speaking at an overview and scrutiny committee, Cllr Peter John said violent crime was “top of the agenda” for the council, after spikes in murders and gun and knife crime.

This comes after 23-year-old Joshua Boadu was fatally stabbed in broad daylight in June, and 18-year-old Latwaan Griffiths was killed in Loughborough Junction in July.

Southwark Council announced in 2016 that youth and play services would be cut by 25 per cent over three years, equalling £280,000 in each financial year, as the service moved into the environment and leisure services directorate.

Official Scotland Yard statistics show Southwark had the second highest murder rate in London for 2016 -2017, with 12 people murdered.

“In Southwark we have seen in recent months some particularly horrific murders,” he said.

“Either gang-related or not – there has certainly been a spike in violent crime using guns and knives.

“And whilst the Met Police have responded by bringing in additional police resources in those areas of concern and we have  responded as a council – [by bringing in] new CCTV and trying to be as responsive to the community as we can, I think what we are seeing is partly the result of taking resources out of youth sport services over the last decade.”

While there was no “one single thing” you could point to, he said there was a correlation between the drop in funding for sports and the increase in violence crime in Southwark and across the city.

“If you take the money out of the system you do begin to see results. We had some very targeted work on violent crime and gangs  at the turn of the decade [which is no longer funded],” he said.

Southwark Council needs to cut £18m from its budget in the next financial year.