Plymouth council leader ousted after no-confidence vote

Conservative Nick Kelly saw 29 votes in favour of the no-confidence vote over his leadership

A vote of no confidence in the leader of Plymouth City Council has been passed.

The council had been led by Conservative councillor Nick Kelly and comes weeks before local elections for a third of the council's seats in May.

A meeting on Monday saw 29 votes in favour of a no-confidence motion, with 23 against and one abstention.

Conservative councillor Richard Bingley has been elected the new leader of Plymouth City Council.

'Lost all authority'

Arguments for Mr Kelly to be removed from the council included his failure to get his annual budget approved in February, and for his suspension after being accused of "victim-blaming" following the death of Plymouth teenager Bobbi-Anne McLeod.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the vote of no confidence was called by Labour and backed by some independents who said Mr Kelly had "lost all authority"

Labour leader Tudor Evans said the city needed "strong leadership".

"We need a leader that doesn't demand respect, we need a leader that commands respect.

"They are different things, and, unfortunately, this is not a time for command and control, particularly when you're not in command and you have no control."

Speaking in support of Mr Kelly, Conservative Patrick Nicholson said it was the wrong time to bring the vote.

"Less than six weeks before the people of Plymouth will elect 19 city councillors ... is not the time to bring democracy to its knees," he said.

Mr Bingley has become leader of the council with immediate effect.

After the meeting, Mr Evans said he wished Mr Bingley "good luck" and he was looking forward to a "period of stability and more fruitful and civil cross-party working".