Controversial plans to slash a 50-year-old music service's funding have been dropped following fierce opposition from supporters. 

Deputy leader councillor Wes Streeting of Redbridge council announced this morning that his party will no longer proceed with £370,000 cuts to Redbridge Music Service (RMS) over the next two years, but will continue forward with a retirement recruitment freeze to save around £18,000.

Critics said the plan would effectively privatise the instrument and repair service at the John Savage centre in Fencepiece Road, to the detriment of children from poorer backgrounds.

World-class conductor Simon Rattle had just announced his support for the campaign against the move.

Cllr Streeting admitted the cuts would affect the quality of service at the 50-year-old institution which helps teach tens of thousands of students across north London and Essex how to play an instrument. 

The proposed cuts, outlined last month, reduced the Barkingside-based centre's funding to zero as the council aims to save £70 million by 2017/18. 

Announcing the u-turn, Cllr Streeting said: "With a £70million budget hole to fill, the scale of the challenge cannot be underestimated and we're trying to find savings across the board. 

"It's clear from market testing and conversations with parents, young people and alumni of the Music Service that we're not able to achieve the planned savings to the instrument centre in a way that saves money and maintains the quality of service we want. 

"We've listened and we're therefore going back to the drawing board.

"One of the positive things that has come out of the consultation process has been the strong desire of parents and young people to help shape the future of the Music Service against the bleak backdrop for local government finance. 

"We should have started the conversation with them sooner."

"I know that some people would like us to say 'no cuts', but local government finances are being hollowed out by central government. 

"We're doing our very best to protect front line services, but it's challenging and it would be disingenuous to suggest that there aren't painful decisions coming down the tracks for every department across the council."

He said the council will work with PTA group Friends of RMS and other service users and parents to establish a Music Service Advisory Panel and is "keen" to establish a new alumni association having recently met with Grammy-award winning conductor Bramwell Tovey. 

The second phase of proposed savings which consists of reviewing all staff terms and conditions is still being considered for 2016/17.

An online petition started in opposition to the council's proposals has over 1,600 online signatures.