Hartlepool's new deputy leader and deputy mayor revealed following resignation

At the latest Hartlepool Borough Council full council meeting, Conservative councillor Cameron Stokell was named new deputy leader, while independent councillor Rob Cook was chosen as deputy mayor.

It comes after Conservative councillor Mike Young announced his resignation from the two positions in August following controversy over his role in talks about potential nuclear waste disposal in Hartlepool.

He continues to represent the Rural West ward and is still a member of the Conservatives.

Cllr Stokell, chair of the neighbourhood services committee, was selected by councillors by 17 votes to 12 to be the new deputy leader ahead of Labour’s Cllr Brenda Harrison with two abstentions.

Following the meeting, he said: “It’s a huge honour to become deputy leader.

"I feel privileged to be taking on the responsibilities that come with it, and this includes the hard but necessary decisions that need to be made.

“There are some exciting projects in the works which are externally funded, and I look forward to working with the teams to help deliver them.

“Projects like our new leisure centre which is currently being designed to have embedded sustainability measures will create a flagship project for our town and its decarbonisation agenda.”

Cllr Stokell is also a Rural West ward representative and was first elected to the council in 2019.

Meanwhile, Cllr Cook, Hart ward representative, was selected as deputy mayor, who also has the role of vice chair of council, by 18 votes to 13 ahead of Labour’s Cllr Amy Prince.