Newly-elected unitary councillors in Cheshire have picked the leaders who will head up their shadow councils. Members of the shadow authorities for the new Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cheshire East Council met for the first time last week, after being elected on 1 May. Chester City councillor, Mike Jones, was elected leader of the Cheshire West and Chester authority, while Macclesfield BC leader, Wesley Fitzgerald, was voted leader of the new Cheshire East shadow council. ‘I am honoured to be appointed and have a lot to live up to,' said Cllr Fitzgerald. ‘This is untrodden territory, and we have to work together. ‘It is essential that we do have a united council going forward. The people who put us here expect it of us.' Chester-le-Street DC deputy leader, Simon Henig, has been elected as new leader, Labour group, on the new shadow Durham unitary. His election as council leader will be ratified at the unitary's annual meeting on Friday. Northumberland's new unitary councillors met for the first time yesterday (21 May).
