Knowsley Council to elect new leader

Knowsley Council will elect a new leader after councillor Andy Moorhead was removed last night following a disappointing set of election results which saw Labour lose seats in the borough.

Councillor Graham Morgan was chosen by party members to be the new leader by vote at a meeting last night, while Sean Donnelly will reportedly take on the deputy leader role.

The Labour-run authority had faced a backlash at the polls from some residents apparently angry at plans to sell off 17 Knowsley parks for development.

A Knowsley Council spokesperson said: “Knowsley Council’s Labour Group has elected Councillor Graham Morgan to be Leader for 2018/19.

“The Group will now nominate Councillor Morgan to serve as Leader of the Council and this proposal will be considered at the Authority’s Annual Meeting on 18 May 2018.”

Cllr Morgan had previously been a cabinet member for regeneration and economic development but resigned in November last year ‘for personal reasons’.