Redbridge’s political parties went head to head over their election promises at a hustings in Barkingside.

The public debate was organised by community and environment Group Barkingside 21 and held at Fullwell Cross Library on April 14.

It came ahead of the local elections on May 5, which will see residents voting in councillors who will represent their wards for the next four years.

Candidates appeared to represent Labour, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Greens, Redbridge Independents and Trade Union and Socialist Coalition.

Read more: Candidate's death will delay Redbridge 2022 election result

Current council leader, Labour’s Jas Athwal, said his party inherited a “wasteful” organisation when it took over from the Conservatives in 2014. 

He said: “Now we’ve turned into a council that’s very streamlined. Wages are £33 million less than they were eight years ago, yet more of those services are running today.

“Despite the cuts over the eight years we have transformed the borough. There’s so much coming out, what we will do is make sure that we deliver on the past eight years and make sure that’s better.”

The Labour leader promised to deliver five community hubs in the next four years, which were first announced in 2018 but have yet to materialise.

A major concern for residents that attended was the future of sports clubs currently based at Oakfield Playing Fields, who Cllr Athwal promised would “soon” have a long-term lease.

Read more: Campaign to save sports pitches with land said to be eyed up by West Ham

Cllr Berlin doubted whether this would happen, following speculation over West Ham United using it as a training ground. He suggested the fields should be made England’s first “sporting and leisure zone”.

To a question about the decision to raise parking charges by up to 10%, Cllr Athwal responded that the council hasn’t “got a magic money tree”, pointing out the first hour of parking is free. 

Conservative deputy leader Cllr Howard Berlin said the borough’s democratic system is “failing” residents and promised to share power through a committee system in place of the current executive cabinet model.

He added: “At the moment ten people control the whole of Redbridge, that has to be wrong, I know that there is a better way of getting the best for Redbridge.

“If we took council administration on May 5, we will start changing the look of local democracy.”

Cllr Berlin also promised to continue campaigning to protect the borough’s green belt from development.

Martin Rosner, from the Liberal Democrats, said his party has a 100% commitment to working with residents, who he claimed are “not heard” under the Labour administration.

He criticised the introduction of Low-Traffic Neighbourhoods in Redbridge “without any consultation whatsoever” and the “so-called ward forums”, which are now held online.

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The council’s culture and leisure management arm, Vision RCL, were accused by Rosner of “failing this borough time and time again”.

He added: “Labour needs to be held to account by people, because it’s the people who matter.”

Ashley Gunstock, for the Green Party, said he stands at every local and parliamentary election to push the environmental agenda “until something is done, or I’m dead”.

He added: “Because this is the most important issue that we are facing. Climate change, everything we do locally in Redbridge has an impact globally.

“We need to improve recycling, to improve problems we’re having with pollution in the area. 

“People are dying because of the problems that we have with traffic here, please vote Green or please vote for someone who will push the green agenda.”

Fiaz Bhatti, of the newly-founded Redbridge Independents, said his group launched recently after deciding “enough was enough”.

He did not make any clear policy promises, but said other political parties are “just taking your vote for granted”.

He added: “We’re not from the left or right and not concerned about Westminster toing and froing.”

Trade Union and Socialist Coalition member Andy Walked called for Jas to write to Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust about a new A&E ward at King George Hospital.