Parks groups worried about plans to outsource parks maintenance, waste and street cleansing are meeting the council on Monday.

Parks and friends groups from across Merton have been invited to discuss the plans as part of £32m of council budget cuts over the next four years.

Views are being sought on the proposed changes to the way the borough’s parks, cemeteries and other green spaces are maintained.

They are meeting with Councillor Andrew Judge, the council’s cabinet member for environmental sustainability and regeneration, and Chris Lee, the director of environment and regeneration.

The council said as part of the award-winning South London Waste Partnership (SLWP) made up of Merton, Sutton, Kingston and Croydon councils, the four neighbouring boroughs are looking at working together to commission specialist environmental services companies to take care of the borough’s waste collections, street cleansing and parks maintenance from April 2017.

The SLWP will not be delivering the services.

The council said the partnership’s expertise lies in procuring good value contracts with companies which are specialists in their fields.

It will be looking for a company which is a specialist in horticulture and grounds maintenance and a company which is specialist in street cleansing and waste collection services.

The council will continue to retain the management of the borough’s parks.

Coun Judge, said: "Our local friends of the parks groups do fantastic work with the council to keep Merton’s green spaces looking clean and tidy as well as helping to make our parks great places to visit.

"There will be no changes at all to how these groups use our parks and I want to make sure that we continue the good work we do together."