Empty chair

The Isle of Wight council now has a new leader

The group leader of the Conservative councillors, Dave Stewart, has been elected as the new leader of the Isle of Wight council (see our live coverage of the meeting).

The move follows the resignation of former leader, Island Independent, Jonathan Bacon, who, along with his deputy, Steve Stubbings, said that “in the face of the unwillingness of Government to lift a finger” their positions were “untenable and, perhaps more pertinently, intolerable”.

At tonight’s full council meeting Cllr Stewart received the majority vote with 19 votes against 15 for Cllr Stephens.

What happens next?
Cllr Stewart will now be asked to form his Executive and has stated that he’s been in talks with members from across the chamber, including the Independents.

Wondering what might happen now a leader other than an Island Independent has been elected? OnTheWight sought the answers prior to yesterday’s vote.

Image: joe57spike under CC BY 2.0