EALING Council's leader is 'insulting' residents by refusing to meet the Conservative opposition to discuss Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs), councillors have complained.

Peter Mason, the borough's Labour leader, reportedly told his opposition 'when it's your turn, we will be in touch,' when they asked to meet after his election in May.

The leader has not met with or contacted opposition councillors since, Conservative and Liberal Democrat leaders have told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mason said his administration would be 'open, transparent and inclusive' by 'putting residents first', at Ealing Council's full meeting on June 22.

He would only meet with Conservative councillors when they stop playing 'parlour games' and 'playing both sides,' he added.

Opposition leader, Councillor Greg Stafford, said: "There's no obligation to meet, but for the good running of the Council and for the benefit of the residents it is usual that the leader would meet with the leader of the opposition, and maybe the second party, on important issues.

"There's no expectation and no desire for Peter Mason to be at our beck and call, but never in my 15 years as councillor have I heard of anyone who's refusing to meet any opposition, in the country, it's quite astonishing really.

"It's astonishing from an administrative point of view, but it's also deeply insulting to a vast number of residents who are deeply concerned about these issues, that the councillor is refusing to engage with them on this.

"It's a real insult, for no reason other than he wants to play politics, in a fit of pique."

The opposition leader later added: "He should drop me a line, if he wants to go for a socially distanced pint, or whatever is the best way for him, I'm happy to do whatever he requires to make this meeting happen.

At the meeting last week, Mason said: "We've over the last few weeks met residents who have something meaningful to say, and they have our priority, whether that's Better Ealing Streets, One Ealing, Ealing Cycling Campaign, Friends of the Earth.

"We've not just been meeting residents on this issue, but we've met Clean Air for Southall and Hayes, Save Warren Farm, Save Gurnell.

"And that's not just me.

"The Cabinet have been meeting with a wide range of organisations and interest groups and collectively representing the diversity of opposition in this borough far greater and far better than the Conservatives will ever hope to be able to do."

Earlier in that meeting, Conservative councillor, David Millican, said: "We wrote to ask about his intentions for LTNs.

"We wrote again, no reply, we wrote to the chief whip, they replied 'when it's your turn we will be in touch.'

"Let me repeat that, he actually wrote in an email: 'When it's your turn, we will be in touch,' and this to the leader of the opposition.

"Now you can imagine that rather rude and condescending reply to meet the leader of the opposition and long-standing opposition councillor did not go down too well."

Cllr Millican told the meeting the only way they could find out what the leadership's intentions are on traffic policy was to put down a motion for debate.

He then put forward a series of questions about future and existing plans for LTNs.

Council deputy leader, Deirde Costigan, answered by accusing Conservatives of refusing to listen and making up statistics.

She added: "And by the way Cllr Millican, we make no apology for prioritising local residents over you, yes you can wait your turn until after we've heard from local people."

Liberal Democrat leader, Councillor Gary Malcolm, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Mason did not want to meet him, and had not replied to two open letters.