A LABOUR councillor has been accused of misrepresenting himself at a sensitive meeting over the future of a community centre, which took place before he was elected.

John Scarola, who was elected Labour councillor for Laindon Park earlier this month, tried to convince Tory representatives from Basildon Council to change their minds about plans to remove the former managers of Laindon West Community Centre, during a private meeting in March.

He was not successful and the management team, from Laindon West Community Association, was ousted from running the council-owned hall in Hoover Drive, Laindon, amid concerns it was being run as a drinking club, instead of a social club for the local community. The council is now running it without a bar and accepting bids for new managers.

Tories claim Mr Scarola should have declared he was the Labour candidate for the ward during the meeting.

They also say he misled residents in his election literature, by saying the centre had been closed, when he knew it was still open and bids for new managers were being encouraged.

Andrew Baggott, former Tory councillor for Pitsea North West, formally raised concerns at a full council meeting.

He said: “I and ward councillors had a meeting with the incumbent of the centre, together with her representative (Mr Scarola), who purported to be an interested resident.

“On later investigation, we discovered he was in fact the Labour candidate, so he misrepresented himself.

“He was given categorical assurance as to our commitment to keep the centre open.

“I find it absolutely deplorable to then find this sort of misinformation is going out to residents.”

Mr Scarola denied misrepresenting himself or misleading residents.

He said: “I was only at the meeting as an interested resident.

“At that point, I had not taken the decision to stand.

“It was because of issues like this in Laindon that I then decided to stand.”

He added he had wanted assurances at the meeting the centre would continue to be run by a community association.

Before the election, he also issued a subsequent election flyer saying bidding for new tenants was not the same as a promise to keep the centre open.