A CRUCIAL meeting to examine controversial plans to scrap the only A&E in the borough has been postponed to the new year.

Members of Redbridge Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the proposals to close the A&E at King George Hospital in Ilford, in favour of an expanded centre at Queen's Hospital in Romford.

However, councillors had only received important documents just before the meeting, prompting the committee's chairman, Councillor Ralph Scott, to schedule a special meeting for January 13.

The proposal has been put forward by the Health for North East London (Health for NEL) quango, who suggest that at least three-quarters of patients currently using the A&E at King George could actually be treated at the hospital's urgent care centre, which would be expanded if the plans came into effect.

As Health of NEL launched a public consultation into the plans at the end of November, Ilford North MP Lee Scott questioned the very logic behind the proposal. He said: “The arguments just don’t add up. Can Queen’s or Whipps Cross cope with what would quite possibly be hundreds of thousands of extra patients? Without extra resources, the answer is no.”

Earlier this year, former Redbridge Mayor Councillor Lorraine Sladden conducted a survey of every GP in the borough which she claimed showed that 94 per cent were against the plans to shut the A&E.

Health for NEL's consultation will run until March 8. To register your views, visit healthfornel.nhs.uk/consultation.

Members of the public may attend the meeting, which will take place in the Council Chamber in Ilford Town Hall at 7.15pm.