Plans to introduce new public forums are being finalised, according to the deputy leader of Redbridge council.

Neighbours reacted with anger folliwing the new Labour council's descision to scrap area committee meetings last week.

And responding to calls for an alternative, Cllr Wes Streeting, said an announcement would be made on the make-up of the new meetings at the next meeting of full council on July 17.

He said: “We are proposing a more stream-lined one-stop-shop where the public can have more of a say than the traditional area committee meetings.

“The overwhelming majority of the public did not attend the meetings with only an average attendance of 24, so it was clear they were just not working.

“We want to make these meetings more welcoming than they are currently, which are intimidating and more like an Anglo-Saxon or feudal court with councillors passing down decisions from on high.

“Our new public forums will be based on slightly larger areas than the current committees but that is not necessarily a bad thing, we think the new system will mean more people want to attend.”