St Albans council leader stepping down: St Peter’s councillor expected to take over
Cllr Julian Daly has stepped down as council leader. - Credit: Archant
St Albans council leader Julian Daly is stepping down after six years in charge.
Cllr Daly, who represents Harpenden West, is also stepping down as the portfolio holder for resources in the council cabinet.
He said: “It’s a great honour to be council leader and I’m very proud of what we achieved over the six years.
“I have had the privilege to work with a creative, committed and capable team. It’s also been a pleasure to work closely with partners throughout the district, and indeed across Hertfordshire.
He will stand down this week, but intends to carry on as a councillor.
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During his time as leader, Cllr Daly has continued to be director of a company which manages commercial property for pension funds, charities, and investment trusts.
He said: “Over the last year it has become clear to me that I need to find more time to meet the growing demands of my work outside the council.”
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Already the mechanisms for replacing him are in motion. The vice-chair of the Cabinet, Cllr Alec Campbell, was last week voted the new leader of the Conservative group in the council.
He has now been proposed by the Conservatives to be the new council leader, a decision which will be taken at the full council meeting on Thursday, May 25.
Cllr Campbell said of Cllr Daly: “He has been a great leader for the council and he will be a loss from that position. I hope he has close involvement with the council going forward.”
If elected, Cllr Campbell will inherit a full plate of responsibilites, from reshuffling the council cabinet to the Local Plan - all in the run up to the next district council elections.
The Lib Dem leader on the council, Cllr Chris White said: “We are determined to take control of the council in the next couple of years, because it is high time for a change.”
The leader of the Labour group, Cllr Roma Mills, was asked for comment but did not get back to us before we published.
The council’s chief executive and head of legal have also announced they are stepping down this summer.
