We are told that the café on Christ Church Green will open in a timely way by Easter 2022 (despite a richness of coffee shops and the like already in Wanstead).

What a contrast with the appalling delays to the much-needed swimming pool for Wanstead Leisure Centre. Why the difference?

Well, Vision, the company that will run the café is a private company not obliged by law to be accountable to Wanstead residents. And we all remember that Vision set up a Christmas tree business in December 2021, without any consultation, on Christ Church Green, despite so many local businesses aiming to sell Christmas trees.

Who does Labour care about? Clearly not, in the light of the Christmas tree fiasco, local businesses and local priorities. But where is democracy in all this?

We used to have often well attended local meetings with councillors. We used to be able to directly raise issues such as flooding, the state of roads, crime, the quality of the environment etc. but not now. Why?

Redbridge is a self-serving, complacent, council, taking us, the voters, for granted. Our many concerns are not responded to. It is time this Labour council was voted out and we had a council in tune with local issues and one willing to meet with us.

This Labour council has, simply, failed us.

Patricia Leighton

Wanstead