Ilkley Parish Council has chosen its new leader elect for the coming year.

Councillor Kate Brown was nominated for the post of chairman, which she has held before and will take up if re-elected in May, at this week's full council meeting.

The vote became necessary following vice chairman Coun Heathcliffe Bowen's shock announcement in January that he could not accept the chairmanship, as he was bowing out of local politics.

Coun Brown was proposed for the role by Coun Andrew Walbank and seconded by Coun Pat Stevenson, who paid her this tribute: "We are very lucky to have Kate to step in at the last minute.

"She is very experienced and has a wide experience of the area.

"She's been a Menston councillor and lived in Ilkley, she's totally committed and has done a fantastic job."

Accepting the nomination and taking the chair at the meeting, in the absence of both chairman Coun Mike Gibbons and Coun Bowen, Coun Brown said: "Thank you for putting your trust in me again, I'm sure we will all work together should we be elected again in May."