Stockton Conservatives have a new leader for the first time in nearly a decade.
Solicitor and Yarm councillor Ben Houchen, 27, takes over the reins from Councillor Ken Lupton who has announced he is to retire from local government at the next election.
Mr Lupton, 68, ward councillor for Hartburn, has served nearly 50 years in local government. He was elected as a ward councillor in 1999 and became leader of Stockton’s Tory group in 2005.
Two years later he became leader of Stockton Council until Labour took control at the last General Election.
He also put himself forward as a candidate for the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner’s job in 2012, but came second to Labour’s Barry Coppinger.
He said: “I’m not standing for election next year. I thought it was appropriate to give the opportunity for whoever wanted to go for the leadership.
“I have stepped into the deputy leader’s role so I can show Ben the ropes and take him through the ins and outs before I go.
“I have every confidence in Ben, I think he is a very capable young man.”
His fellow Hartburn Conservative councillor Terry Laing has also announced he is to retire at the next election.
James Wharton, Conservative MP for Stockton South, said: “It has been a real pleasure to work with Ken Lupton, who served the people of Hartburn and our town so well. He has been an excellent group leader and I wish him well in retirement.
“Ben is a brilliant choice and will take the group forward as we head towards next year’s local elections.”
Former Conyers School pupil Ben Houchen represents Yarm and Kirklevington on Stockton Council. He stood in the Middlesbrough Parliamentary by-election in 2012 following the death of MP Stuart Bell and recently stood in the European Parliamentary elections.
He has worked for two Teesside law firms, in commercial litigation and employment law, since graduating in law at Northumbria University.
He told the Gazette: “It is an honour to have been selected as the leader of the Conservative Group on Stockton Council.
“I would like to thank Ken Lupton who has been an excellent leader of the group for a number of years now and I owe a lot to Ken for where I am today.
“I believe we have a strong team, which I hope to make stronger by further holding Stockton to account for their mistakes on things such as housing development, parking charges and increasing council tax at a time when residents are already feeling the negative effects of a Labour run council.”
Fellow Yarm councillor Mark Chatburn, who recently jumped ship from the Tories to UKIP, wished the new leader “the very best of luck in what will doubtless prove to be a torrid six months for local Conservatives”. Tory Yarm councillor Andrew Sherris said he would have preferred “to have someone with experience and a proven track record”.
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