Funding cuts to good causes will hit some of Merton’s most vulnerable residents in the next few years, the head of one of the borough’s biggest charities has said.

Russell Humphreys, chief executive of the Wimbledon Guild, made the prediction as he warned of tough times ahead for Merton’s voluntary sector at a public meeting on Thursday.

The Question Time-style event saw Mr Humphreys joined by Mitcham and Morden’s Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh, Carshalton and Wallington’s Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake and David Williams, Conservative councillor and leader of Merton Council, to take questions from the local voluntary sector.

Asked whether funding for charities should be ring-fenced, Mr Humphreys said: “The next few years are really going to hit the voluntary sector. Some of us have already had to make people redundant.”

He warned tendering processes by the council seemed to favour larger charities rather than Merton based ones - and said funding cuts would impact on the local community.

Coun Williams praised the “absolutely vital” work of the borough’s voluntary sector, but could not promise it would escape funding cuts.

The meeting at the civic centre was organised by Sutton and Merton advice alliance and chaired by BBC journalist Liz Barclay.

Youth unemployment was another topic discussed by the panel. Ms McDonagh said the borough needed to have a capable workforce when the recession ended, adding: “Extending school to 18 and the expansion of higher education will help.”

Coun Williams warned any teaching or training schemes should be designed to lead to “real jobs”. He also said Merton’s rate of youth unemployment was among the lowest in London.

Mr Humphreys said: “One of the things coming through to us is volunteering - we find people who have been volunteers do get a foothold and it increases their prospects of getting a job.”

Other issues raised by the audience included the shortage of housing for people with mental health problems and Wimbledon’s bid to raise its profile as the host of a 2012 Olympic event.