STUDENTS who forced councillors to think again about proposed cuts to the borough’s music service are waiting to see whether their pleas will have any effect.

Nearly 2,000 concerned students and parents signed a petition protesting against cuts of almost £1 million in the budget of the Redbridge Music Service over the next three years.

The service provides music lessons to thousands of children and stages dozens of concerts each year, including the biennial Redbridge Schools Choral Festival at the Royal Albert Hall.

So many names were gathered that the petition triggered a full debate of Redbridge Council in front of the petition’s organisers.

One of them, 16-year-old Elizabeth Milne from Mayfield School in Ilford, said: “After we asked some questions we got quite a mechanical response, but after I gave a speech they were a lot warmer. I felt we were at least listened to.

“The Mayor of London is very keen on musical education so we've written to him, and we've also written to a number of high-profile musicians asking them to help.”

Savings will come from increased tuition fees and redundancies, but campaigners believe this will threaten the service's future and deter children from lower-income families from taking lessons.

Ilford County High student and Wanstead resident Tom Nolan, 18, said: “I asked the council how it could expect to be taken seriously after bigging up the music service so much but then cutting its funding.

“I feel we had a lot of support, it's now just up to the council to do something about this.”

Labour councillor Wes Streeting who spoke against the cuts said: “It was striking that the public gallery was packed.

“The quality of speeches made by users of the music service was excellent. Even councillors who support the cuts must really have been moved by the arguments made.”

The cabinet will re-examine the proposals in February before they are voted on by the full council in March.

Cllr Alan Weinberg, portfolio holder for children's services, said: “While I applaud what the young people said and their tenacity, they seem to be under the impression that we want to close the music service. We do not.

“I believe giving them three years to find more efficient ways of working, a wider audience, and more inter-borough working, will enable them to stand on their own two feet.”