Leader of Norfolk County Council Conservatives elected

The new leader of the Conservatives on Norfolk County Council has said he wants to protect frontline services.

Derrick Murphy was elected on Friday. He is expected to be voted leader of the Tory-controlled council on Monday.

He said "efficiency savings" were vital but the council had to be "creative" in implementing them. He added: "The last thing we want to see is frontline services reduced."

In July the council announced 190 posts are to go to save £14m this year.

Among those to leave will be 44 senior managers.

Mr Murphy told the BBC: "We have got to be innovative. We have got to be creative.

"We have got to drive through efficiency savings in our organisation and local government as a whole.

"I feel we have an extremely good team in the (county council) cabinet. Our service provision is the envy of the country."

Norfolk County Council leader Daniel Cox announced he was stepping down in October.