THE Labour leader on Redbridge Council has criticised an 'old fashioned' election rule which is set to cause the resignation of a promising new councillor.

Mark Gittens won Chadwell ward for Labour at the May 7 council elections, but will now have to stand down after it was revealed that he is a teacher at Wanstead High School - and therefore a council employee, and ineligible to take office in Redbridge.

New Labour leader Bob Littlewood accepted his party made a mistake by putting forward an ineligible candidate, but said the rule about teachers was out of date and needed to be changed.

He said: "It's a bad law and in my view it should be changed. There's no doubt about that.

"But law it is, and sadly we made a mistake on this occasion.

"If Mark was on the council he would simply not sit on any scrutiny committees affecting education matters.

"Schools are more or less independent from the council these days for all intents and purposes.

"It's a huge pity because Mark would have made an excellent councillor. We will take this up in the future."

These views were backed by Monica Abdala, 42, who works with Mr Gittens as a street pastor in Redbridge.

She said: "Mark is a great street pastor, who cares deeply about the community, which I guess would mean he would also make a good councillor.

"He cares particularly about the welfare of young people.

"Maybe it's time this (election) rule is changed."