Calls for detailed monthly updates on the performance of a failing hospital trust were rejected by councillors yesterday.

A petition, signed by 1,654 people called for Redbridge Council to publish statistics on King George Hospital in Goodmayes and Queens Hospital in Romford, and an interview with Matthew Hopkins, the trust’s incoming chief executive each month.

It follows a damning report by the Care Quality Commission, which found patients were being put at risk due to poor standards of care and led to Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust being placed under special measures.

The size of the petition meant a meeting of full council had to debate the proposal.

But last night councillors dismissed campaigners' proposals as 'showboating' and 'unrealistic', with not one councillor willing to second the motion.

Redbridge council leader, Keith Prince said: "The idea that we should post on youtube an interview with the CEO of the trust every month is overkill.

"We are committed to working with the Care Quality Commission to make sure the trust is on track, but these proposed measures would just get in the way and are mere showboating."

His Tory colleague, Cllr Michael Stark, said the council does not have the authority to carry oout the proposal.

He said: "it is not for the council to hold health services to account, that is the Care Quality Commission's job.

"We will work with them, but it is unrealistic to think we have the authority to interview the CEO of the trust every month. We just do not have the authority as a council to do this."

BHRUC's former chief executive, Averil Dongworth, retired on March 11.