A new man has been elected to the helm of a Hampshire council thrown into turmoil over a multi million pound city centre revamp.
Three high profile councillors have already quit Winchester City Council over the controversial Silver Hill scheme.
Conservative councillor Frank Pearson was elected leader of Winchester City Council last night after a week of turmoil that saw the resignation of leader Cllr Rob Humby over the controversial Silver Hill scheme.
After beating Liberal Democrat Cllr Kelsie Learney in a tense vote, Cllr Pearson promised to “restore faith” in the troubled council amid public discontent and an independent review of the saga.
The former mayor, who voted for the scheme in December, said: “I consider myself a safe pair of hands.
“To the residents in the wider Winchester district, I will promise to listen to their concerns in order to restore their faith in Winchester City Council during my tenure.”
Deputy leader Cllr Victoria Weston and opposition scrutiny chief Cllr Chris Pines also stood down this week after a High Court judge ruled that city bosses acted unlawfully when it allowed contentious changes to the £165m project of shops and homes.
In her resignation statement yesterday, Cllr Weston said: “Throughout the Silver Hill planning process, [Cllr Humby] and I have done our utmost to involve all interested parties and endeavoured to take the best advice made available to us at all times.
“It is unfortunate for all those concerned that on this occasion a judge has disagreed.
“It should not be overlooked that in the quest to deliver Winchester’s future prosperity the planning applications for Silver Hill have spanned both Conservative and Liberal Democrat administrations and thus these current resignations cannot expunge all responsibility in this setback to progress.”
The Silver Hill inquiry, expected to cost at least £200,000, will be led by auditors and may involve council chiefs, despite calls to keep politicians away.
Cllr Pines, Labour group leader, said: “What the public wants is transparency.
“We’ve got to have transparency right from the very beginning.”
Cllr Pearson, who is set to finish appointing a new Cabinet today, was elected by 26 votes to 24.
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