Plans on how to celebrate a borough’s 50th anniversary will be discussed next week.

Next year, it will be 50 years since Redbridge council was set up following a merger between the boroughs of Ilford and Wanstead & Woodford, and parts of Dagenham and Chigwell.

A series of events will take place and a preliminary list is due to be discussed next week by a council commitee. 

They include the unveiling of a Heritage Blue Plaque, costing £200, which the location yet to be announced.

Schools will be invited to visit Redbridge town hall, in Ilford, and learn the history of the borough.

In May next year, certificates will be given to employees who have worked with the council for 50 years, or former employees who worked for the council in 1965.

A vintage film festival at Valentines Mansion, in Ilford, is also due to be held, and an exhibition will take place at Redbridge Museum of residents' experiences of living in the borough.

The list of events is due to be finalised in February next year and the council is hoping to achieve Heritage Lottery funding for projects.

Leader of the council, Cllr Jas Athwal, said: “Since it was established in 1965 Redbridge has become a fantastic place with very much its own identity. 

“We have an excellent range of things to do here, a brilliant education system and it’s somewhere I and many others are proud to call home.

“It’s absolutely right that we mark the anniversary of our borough, while being mindful of the current financial climate.

“I am confident that we can do something that will pay tribute to our rich history.”

Redbridge council’s Policy and Resources Service Committee will discuss plans on Tuesday evening at the town hall in Ilford.