Northumberland County Council elects Glen Sanderson as leader

Glen Sanderson represents the Longhorsley ward and has been elected as the council's new leader

Northumberland County Council has elected a new leader after the previous one was ousted by a vote of no confidence.

Conservative Glen Sanderson was elected the new leader by 36 votes to one.

He replaces Peter Jackson who was removed after chief executive Daljit Lally was put on "extended leave" in August when she raised concerns.

Mr Sanderson said while some "may think it's a poisoned chalice, for me it's a great honour".

He said: "Every councillor is just as much a director of this multimillion-pound company as I am, so I'm hoping together we can try to concentrate more on positivity and less on negativity, more time on getting behind our staff - each and every one of them, more for working for the best for our residents, and more relevant discussion between us, because any successful business has to have good communication."

Mr Jackson was removed from his position by a single vote in a motion of no confidence on 2 September thanks to three Tory rebels.

This was in the wake of the row between the Conservative administration and Mrs Lally, sparked by her being placed on "extended leave" just after she emailed all councillors with what she claimed were "serious whistle-blowing concerns" and accused Mr Jackson of possible "bias".

There were 26 abstentions when the full council elected Mr Sanderson, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.