AT this evening' meeting of Thurrock Council, the first to be held in the council's new civic chamber, Cllr Mark Coxshall was elected the new council leader, for a period of four years - though that is more a symbolic ruling under the authority's 'strong leader' policy.

Cllr Coxshall has already said it was not a position he ever sought, but one he felt he was best positioned to fill following the resignation of former Tory leader Cllr Gledhill and the current financial crisis engulfing the council.

All the Conservative councillors voted for Cllr Coxshall, as did independent members Cllrs Gary Byrne, Jennifer Smith and John Allen. All the Labour members voted against the appointment - not unexpected as Labour group leader Cllr John Kent had already called for the resignation of Cllr Coxshall, and many of his senior councillors, in the wake of the financial crisis that will cost the borough tens of millions of pounds.

The new chamber.

After being elected, Cllr Coxshall said: "There is no hiding from it, we are in great difficulty. I am sorry, but we will try and put it right.

"This will be a new era of openess, transparency and honesty."