Lewisham Council could be reported to the Local Government Ombudsman for falsely claiming to have the "Cleanest Streets in London".

At a full council meeting tonight, Liberal Democrat councillor Matthew Huntbach will ask why the slogan is printed on the jackets of Lewisham Council cleaners and on council material.

Lewisham Council says the message is aspirational but Cllr Huntbach says no indication is given that the borough does not currently have the cleanest streets in the capital.

If the mayor does not remove the slogan Cllr Huntbach has vowed to make a formal complaint to one of the UK's Local Government Ombudsman.

Their role is to investigate allegations of maladministration against local councils including the deliberate distribution of false information.

Cllr Huntbach said: "Everyone you ask thinks it means Lewisham has won some award for cleaning or something. It's not aspirational, it's a lie.

"We shall be seeking legal advice over what we should do and if the mayor does not withdraw it will look into making a formal complaint."

The cleanliness of the streets in London boroughs is measured by the Capital Standards Partnership, using Local Environmental Quality Survey (LEQS) monitoring.

A Lewisham Council spokesman said: "Our slogan Cleanest Streets in London' is an aspirational statement for the cleansing service.

"In the first year of this programme Lewisham was rated as being the fourth cleanest borough.

"The cleansing service is working towards improving our detritus score so we are the top borough in London in year two of the programme."

However, a letter written by former Lewisham councillor Paul Fallon, in July 2000, shows the council has had the unachieved aspiration of cleanest streets in London' for at least four years.

In the letter to constituents he says: "In September 2000 the Tidy Britain Group will be visiting Lewisham to check the street sweeping to see if we have the cleanest streets in London."

Tonight's meeting will be held at Lewisham Town Hall, in Catford, at 7pm.