COUNCILLOR Liz Sirman has been elected as the new leader of Salisbury City Council's Conservative Group. 

As the council is a Conservative majority, this effectively means Cllr Sirman will also be the new leader of the city council. 

It comes after previous leader Jeremy Nettle lost a vote of no confidence on October 12.

At a closed meeting on Monday night (November 2), Cllr Liz Sirman received more votes than Cllr Sven Hocking, and will be backed in her new role by Cllr Simon Jackson, who was elected deputy leader of the group after prevailing in a vote against Cllr Jo Broom.

Cllrs Sirman and Jackson will be officially nominated for the positions of leader and deputy leader of Salisbury City Council at the next full council meeting on November 16.

Cllr Sirman is a councillor for the St Edmund and Milford Ward, and has lived in Salisbury for the past 25 years.

Cllr Sirman said: “I am delighted to receive the backing of the Conservative Group on Salisbury City Council to become its new leader.

"It has been a turbulent few years for Salisbury. I will be doing everything I can to help make the city a better place to live for local residents despite the challenges we face.

"As leader of the group, I will ensure that the voices of all councillors are heard and that we move forward on the basis of consensus and not division."

Cllr Sirman has been critical of the People Friendly Salisbury scheme, saying the cost of the project "beggars belief".

Cllr Sirman added: "We need to get better at building bridges between Salisbury and Wiltshire Council. Too often, Salisbury residents feel that decisions are taken from a distance, without due regard for the views of local people.

"I would also like to pay tribute to Jeremy Nettle for his time as leader of the group and I know that he will continue making a significant contribution to the council.”