A Labour politician who works at a church accused of abuse and exploitation by former members has resigned from Lewisham Council’s cabinet.
The borough’s elected mayor, Brenda Dacres, announced that Kim Powell had left her role as cabinet member for business with “immediate effect” on Monday.
Opposition councillor Hau-Yu Tam told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Cllr Powell’s resignation was the “right decision” but called on her to apologise.
Dacres thanked Powell for her work as a cabinet member since 2021 and said she “wished her all the best”.
Powell’s role as a community outreach manager at the Catford branch of United Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) and the council’s apparent links to the church have come under fresh scrutiny in recent weeks.
At a council meeting in January, Tam, the borough’s only non-Labour politician, challenged Dacres to apologise for the inclusion of UCKG in a council interfaith walk in September last year.
Tam, who quit Labour in July last year, told the meeting there had been “ample allegations of exploitation” made against UCKG, including emotional, financial and anti-LGBTQ+ abuse.
Dacres denied the council had a relationship with UCKG at the same meeting. Lewisham Council has previously said it has received no safeguarding concerns or referrals about the church’s Catford branch.
Powell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service last month: “My day job, and my councillor work, are completely separate.”
The Guardian has reported as far back as 2022 claims from former church members who made allegations of abuse. UCKG has denied the claims.
A church spokesperson claimed in response at the time that “former members promote hatred against the church on social media and vilify its beliefs and practices”.
Powell will remain as a councillor for Hither Green ward. She has been replaced as cabinet member for business by Ese Erheriene.
Tam said of Powell’s resignation: “It’s the right decision. The person who is responsible for the conflict of interest has resigned and it’s clearly linked to the UCKG scandal.”
She added: “We still need an apology. Powell has not apologised for the allegations [or] the conflict of interest. We haven’t had an apology from the mayor as well.”
Chris Barnham has also resigned from Lewisham’s cabinet after six years. He will be replaced as cabinet member for children and young people by Edison Huynh.
Powell has been approached for comment about her resignation.
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Robert Firth is the Local Democracy Reporter for Lewisham. The Local Democracy Reporting Service is a BBC-funded initiative to ensure councils are covered properly in local media.
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