A volunteer-led urban farm in Colliers Wood was spared the axe after its grant was not cut by the council as it had been last year.

Proposals to cut Deen City Farm’s cut by another £15,000 this year – on top of a similar cut in last year’s budget – were not put forward by Merton Council as they had feared.

Ben Muton-Phillips, volunteer co-ordinator at Deen City Farm, said: “We’re absolutely chuffed and it’s really good news.

“It means we can plan ahead with a fair amount of certainty going forward which is vital when you’re asking people to donate.”

In last year’s budget, Deen City’s farm’s annual grant from Merton Council went down by £15,000 -£131,000 to £116,000 – and was facing a further cut of £15,000 this year.

But a petition against the cuts, with over 2,000 signatures, was presented to the council at this week’s budget meeting on March 7.

Conservative councillor Henry Nelless, a trustee of the farm who presented the petition, described it as “an embarrassing u-turn” for the council.

He said: “A small cut of £15,000 makes a big difference to the Farm but is completely unnecessary when the Council has under spent by £12million last year.

“They should think again before coming up with any equally ridiculous proposals in the future."

Councillor Stephen Alambritis, the leader of the council, said Deen City Farm was one of many grants to the voluntary sector not being cut this year.

He said Deen City Farm’s future would be secure, as would The Attic Theatre, the Polka Theatre, and Merton Little League Football, who had been told they would be charged to use the borough’s playing fields.

He said: “It was on the football fields of Lower Morden that we resolved to continue to be one of the only borough’s in the country that offers free pitches to our Little Leagues

“And it was on the farm lands of Colliers Wood that we have found a solution that means Deen City Farm continues to have our support.

“Through management action, savings put forward in last year’s budget have been found elsewhere so I am pleased to announce that Deen City Farm’s grant is safe”

Coun Alambritis also confirmed no libraries were proposed to be closed by Merton in the coming years and library opening times hours had actually increased now that they no longer closed at lunchtime.

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