OPINION appears to continue to be divided in Chadwell St Mary over the performance of newly-elected councillor Adam Carter, while a social media debate has widened into the issue of a community forum's political neutrality.

Cllr Carter, who was a surprise winner of a seat for the Conservatives in the apparent Labour stronghold in May's elections, has been an ardent self-publicist about his achievements in the ward, and has been welcomed by some residents for his 'can do' attitude.

However, some of his claims - and those of his party supporters - have courted controversy including blocking an unpopular housing application and then he got involved in a social media spat with a number of residents following the repair of a pavement that had caused injury to a woman.

Now Cllr Carter has been criticised by the chair of the town's community forum, allegedly for chasing credit for funding of new play equipment at Orsett Heath.

In turn, Cllr Carter's supporters have questioned the way the forum goes about its business and has questioned its political neutrality.

Forum chair Peter Saunders says: "The Conservative party's 'Chadwell St Mary News" gives the impression that Cllr Adam Carter is responsible for the funding of the new play equipment which - he says - will be delivered next year.

"On behalf of Chadwell St Mary Community Forum I have been involved with the grant-application for the funding involved, together with Sylvia Yates and Sara Muldowney amongst others, and I can say that at no stage in the process has Cllr Carter ever made a contribution; until the funding had been agreed by the Community Environmental Development Fund panel - of which he is not a member-he had taken no interest in the project that I am aware of.

"Cllr Carter says that he is 'Giving Chadwell the TLC it deserves'.

"What a shame he did not join his ward-councillor colleagues and four of us from the Forum (one aged 85, another aged 83) this morning (November 6th) when we litter-picked Godman Woods."

However, not everyone is critical of Cllr Carter.

Other local posts on social media platforms his praises including one resident saying: "Well done and it's refreshing to see how passionate you are regarding Chadwell St Mary. Hope the residents appreciate."

And his party has backed the enthusiasm the 20-year-old councillor has brought to the ward saying it has shocked Labour in the town who have reacted by trying to discredit him.

One leading Tory has told Nub News: "This is a concerted effort to discredit a hard-working, committed young man who is doing his best to improve the Chadwell community and is delivering.

"He may have made some mistakes as he learns about his role but I don't think he deserves the treatment that has come his way, it's akin to bullying a young man by someone who is being less than honest about his own motives."

And local Conservative stalwart and party activist Tony Coughlin has also defended the young Tory protege, saying: "Good luck to Adam. Keep up the good work.

"As for the chair of the forum who clearly declares in his comments he is speaking 'on behalf of the forum', surely he should be non-political as a forum chair.

"Shame on him frankly. Forum chairs should be there to build bridges, not make biased comments such as these.

And as for bringing up the litter pick, how petty. He was at the previous one a month ago!"