A FORMER Wycombe District Council chief has been made its new chairman – as the Wycombe Liberal Democrats appoint a fresh leader.

Cllr Lesley Clarke will take over the chairmanship from Cllr Ian McEnnis, who moves from the hot-seat to serve as her deputy.

They are expected to attend more than 300 engagements and will be tasked with impartially chairing key meetings over the next 12 months.

WDC Leader Cllr Richard Scott named an unchanged Cabinet line-up for the year ahead at WDC’s Annual Meeting last night.

But the Lib Dems have made Bourne End Cllr Brian Pollock the group’s new leader with Cllr Matt Knight appointed his deputy.

Cllr Ian Bates will continue as the leader of the Wycombe Labour Group with Cllr Alan Turner heading up the Independent members on WDC.

Following the meeting, former councillors Peter Cartwright and Richard Pushman were both made Honorary Aldermen.

The honour is only given to a handful of people who must no longer be active district councillors who have given exceptional service over a minimum 15 year period to WDC or its former political set-up.

Mr Cartwright, a former Mayor of High Wycombe and chairman of the council, was first elected in 1976 before he retired in 2007.

Mr Pushman served on the council between 1987 and 2011. He is a former district and Buckinghamshire County Council chairman.