VALE Royal Borough Council is to have a new leader after Clr Keith Musgrave was ousted at the annual meeting.

Clr Musgrave had been leader of the council since 2003, and is in his 20th year as a councillor with the borough council.

The vote for leadership of the Conservatives group at Vale Royal went 13 to 11 in favour of Clr Prof Les Ford. Three councillors were not present.

Even so, this vote went to the rest of the council where Labour and the Liberal Democrats asked Clr Musgrave to continue as leader of the council but he declined.

He said: "I felt it was inappropriate to be elected when a fair amount of the party was not going to support me.

"It would have been impossible to accept the nomination from Labour and the Liberal Democrats."

He maintained that he went out on top.

He added: "We are a very good authority. The highlight in my four years would have to be getting 4-star status.

"You can't get higher than the top."

Clr Musgrave will still be on the council and has been named as head of the business management portfolio.

Clr Ford, who has been a councillor with the borough for eight years, will now take over as leader of the council.

He said: "I am pleased to have such a strong team with me and I am sure we will continue to achieve great things.

"This council was recently chosen as one of the best seven district councils - out of 208 - for use of financial resources, and I have complete faith that the new administration will continue the success.

"I am extremely proud of Vale Royal, having lived in Helsby for more than 30 years, and I would like to take this opportunity to tell Vale Royal residents that there are a great many plans in the pipeline to improve our towns and villages."

Clr Ford's deputy will be Clr Frank Dolphin.