DETAILS sent to the Guardian about savings targets at Redbridge Council have prompted a councillor to call for an apology from the deputy leader.

On Monday the Guardian published details of options the authority is looking at to save £4 million this year.

The authority is looking at a host of ways to reduce spending this financial year, a necessary action to help balance the books after a reduction in Government grants.

Details of the options the council is looking at were sent to the Guardian on Monday by Lib Dem councillor, and deputy leader, Ian Bond after being sent to councillors last week.

Mr Bond told Lib Dem colleagues he would be sending the information out in the "interests of openness".

The options set out a number of areas where spending could be reduced and one of which was ceasing the provision of school crossing patrols, which could save £60,000 this year.

Mr Bond told the Guardian: "(Lollipop people) provide a valuable service and will be appreciated by people but they are mainly at existing crossings, and a large number of primary school children are accompanied anyway.

"We have to ask the question whether it is value for money."

Mr Bond said when he was young he would walk to school on his own and the council "would be interested to know people's views".

However, Wes Streeting, Labour member for Chadwell Ward, has taken exception to the information being made public through the press and described it as "wholly inappropriate and unfair to the individuals concerned".

He has written to Keith Prince, the Conservative leader of the council, and Mr Bond.

Mr Streeting said: "I have written to express my concern that Cllr Bond made particular reference to the jobs of lollipop men and women being up for consideration.

"I consider it a wholly inappropriate and insensitive way to treat employees of the council who provide a valuable service to children and families across the borough.

"No employees of the council should find out that their job may be at risk from the local media and as the deputy leader of the council, Cllr Bond should have known better than to comment in this way.

"I have asked Cllr Bond to apologise to lollipop men and women of Redbridge for the insensitivity of his comments and will pursue this matter at full council if necessary."