Tories take top council positions

Councillors voted in the Conservatives to the top posts

A minority Conservative and Lib Dem coalition has taken control of Dumfries and Galloway Council.

The SNP group on the authority has agreed a role of "constructive opposition" which allowed an administration to be formed.

Tories Ivor Hyslop and Patsy Gilroy have been elected as council leader and convener respectively.

Labour candidates for the two posts were voted down by councillors in a secret ballot.

Cllr Gilroy becomes the first ever female convener of the Dumfries and Galloway authority.

We want to see a council that will provide streamlined and focused decision making Ivor Hyslop Council leader

"This is indeed an honour for me to be up here as your convener," she told fellow councillors.

"It has taken us three weeks to get here.

"We have got some big decisions in the weeks to come."

Cllr Hyslop said he hoped the council could deliver what the people of Dumfries and Galloway wanted.

"They voted for a change in the way the council is run," he said.

"We want to see a council that will provide streamlined and focused decision making."

The Tories have 18 members on the 47 councillor authority with the Lib Dems just three.

They will rely on the support of the SNP group of 10 to get their policies through.