A FULL council meeting due to take place tonight has been postponed after reports of an outbreak of norovirus.

The meeting, at the town hall, in Forest Road, Walthamstow, was to have included a debate on the future of Walton House care home for the elderly, in Chingford Mount Road.

But following reports of norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, affecting residents at the care home the decision was taken to postpone the meeting.

Leading councillors have decided to close Walton House care home because it cannot be registered for dementia care because of a lack of space.

The home will close in March and the council plans to use the money saved by axing it, along with cash from closing five other care homes, to create two 90-bed "super" homes, which will not open until 2011 at the earliest.

The Conservative council group had tongiht planned to ask leading councillors to rethink the Walton House decision.

The Save Walton House Action group had been planning to protest before the town hall meeting.

Suzanna Oxenham, of the group, said she did not think the meeting should have been called off.

She said: "There was no norovirus at the home, it was just a 24 hour bug.

"And the residents were not going to the meeting anyway, it was to be attended by relatives and supporters."

A council spokeswoman said: "The meeting will be rescheduled as soon as possible, and the Council apologies for any inconvenience caused.