The decision to hand 25 acres of council-owned park to a football club has been referred to a scrutiny committee for further discussion.

Cabinet members heard public arguments both for and against the plan to lease Goodmayes Park Extension, Goodmayes Lane, Goodmayes, to Singh Sabha Football Club for 99 years for a nominal rent during the highly charged meeting at Redbridge Town Hall, High Road, Ilford, on Tuesday evening.

The land, which holds changing rooms and football pitches, currently costs Redbridge some �10,000 per year to run.

John Conaghan, a coach at the club, said: “We feel that Goodmayes Extension users wouldn’t even notice the change.

“We provide football for over 200 youngsters every week and the majority of our members do live in the borough.”

But Goodmayes resident Padraig Floyd said: “The proposal will allow a single group that represents only one, albeit well-established, section of the community to have control of the land.”

There was a division in the Labour group with Cllr Ali Hai speaking against the plan but leader, Cllr Bob Littlewood, in favour.