SOUTH Lakeland councillor Jim Webster has taken over as chairman of Cumbria County Council.

Mr Webster, councillor for the Low Furness district, formally replaced outgoing chairman Joe Nicholson, at CCC's annual meeting.

Mr Webster, who was elected unopposed, said: "It is a great honour. I am looking forward to promoting the council both inside and outside the county."

Mr Nicholson bade farewell to the post by saying: "It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as chair you get out of it what you put in."

Coun Anne Parker, Liberal Democrat member for the Lakes, takes over from Mr Webster as this year's deputy chairman. She said: "I look forward to working with others over the year for the benefit of the council."

Meanwhile, the annual meeting also saw the announcement of changes within the ruling administration.

Conservative leader of the council Rex Toft, member for Gosforth and Ennerdale, took the unusual step of standing down as leader of the Conservative group while remaining leader of the council. Mr Toft is replaced as Conservative leader by veteran Tory councillor Don Jefferson, the member for Longtown and Bewcastle.

Mr Toft, who became leader of the council in 2001, when the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats formed an alliance to oust Labour from overall control of the council, said the amicable handover of Conservative leadership to Mr Jefferson would allow him to concentrate on his role as leader of the council.