East Riding Council elects first female leader

Councillor Anne Handley is the new leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Councillor Anne Handley has been elected the new leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

Ms Handley, who represents the Goole North ward, becomes the first female leader of the authority and replaces Councillor Jonathan Owen at the helm.

Speaking after the council's annual general meeting, when she was elected, the new leader said she looked forward to "delivering the best" for East Riding residents.

Ms Handley added: "The East Riding is a great place to be, and working collaboratively with my elected colleagues, I am ambitious for the future."

The Conservatives will govern East Riding of Yorkshire Council as a minority administration.

It follows the local elections earlier this month, which left the Conservatives as the largest party on the council but five seats short of the 34 needed for a majority.

The Conservatives will need the support of other groups to get future budgets, council tax rises and other decisions through full council with the Independents appearing to be their preferred partners at present, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

After sitting on Rawcliffe Parish Council, Ms Handley was elected to East Riding of Yorkshire Council in 2019. She was elected deputy leader last year.

Before becoming a ward councillor, she ran a travel agency and her own clothing business, and worked for the Hull College Group.

Councillor Charlie Dewhirst was elected as deputy leader.

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