NEW leader of Cambridgeshire County Council is Councillor Nick Clarke.He beat three others - including Councillor Martin Curtis of Whittlesey - in today’s contest at Shire Hall, Cambridge.

Cllr Clarke is the member for Fulbourn and has been a county councillor since 2009.

Subject to the formalities of a vote by all members, Cllr Clarke will be elected Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council at the Council’s AGM on 17 May.

Cllr Clarke said: “I am honoured to have been elected Leader of the Conservative Group.

“I would like to thank my colleagues for their support and in return I am certain I can deliver the leadership the Group, the Council and the County deserves. I would also like to pay tribute to the Leadership of Cllr Jill Tuck over the past three years. She has led us with great commitment and effectiveness.”

Cllr Jill Tuck, the outgoing Leader of the Group, said: “I would like to offer Cllr Clarke my congratulations on his election as Group Leader.

I am sure he will do an excellent job in challenging times. I will be giving him my full support in the period before and after the Council’s AGM.”

Cllr Clarke, only 51 but described on his own blog as “retired” after recently selling his IT company, appears to have scheduled his life to create time for his council work. In recent times he has been on the police authority, worked with the Federation of Small Businesses and the Greater Cambridge Partnership, and has acted as a cabinet adviser at Shire Hall.