TAXPAYERS are set to foot the bill for an election blunder which led a new councillor to resign just weeks after winning his seat.

A by-election will be called in Chadwell ward after Labour member Mark Gittens - who took one of its three seats from the Lib Dems on May 7 with 1,949 votes - stood down on Monday.

Mr Gittens was told he had to give up the post after it emerged that he is a teacher at Wanstead High School, a council employee, and therefore was not allowed to stand for election in the borough.

But despite the Labour group on Redbridge Council accepting collective responsibility for the 'innocent' error, it is taxpayers who must pay for the cost of a fresh vote.

Under election rules local authorities have to fund all polls held in their wards - a fact that was confirmed today (Tuesday) by a spokesman for the Electoral Commission.

Lib Dem councillor Richard Hoskins of Church End ward believes the council - which already faces an imminent government spending squeeze - should not be forced to pay for the Labour group's mistake.

He said: "A by-election would cost at least five, maybe six thousand pounds.

"Why should taxpayers have to foot the bill?

"Buildings will have to be used as polling stations, staff hired to work in the polling stations and to count votes, and you also have to pay for voting forms to be sent out.

"This was such an obvious mistake. It is unacceptable.

"Bob Littlewood (the Labour group leader) is a teacher himself in Newham, so should have been well aware that a teacher in Redbridge cannot stand for election here.

"On top of all of this the people of Chadwell ward will have to go through the whole election process again."

Former Redbridge Labour group leader Councillor Elaine Norman said: "There is no convention for parties to fund elections.

"If they did, all sorts of questions would be raised about there integrity and impartiality.

"Elections are run by the council for exactly that reason - they are impartial."

Mr Gittens, a science teacher at Wanstead High, said at the time news of his ineligibility emerged that he had been completely transparent about himself during his election campaign and that he had fought for the seat fairly.

Fellow Labour Party members and a colleague from his work as a Redbridge Street Pastor have also expressed their disappointment that he will not be able to continue as a councillor in the borough.