Worthing Borough Council to appoint new leader after Beccy Cooper elected as MP

Beccy Cooper has stood down from her position as a Marine Ward councillor, following her election last week as the new MP for Worthing West.

A council spokesperson said: “Dr Cooper has decided to stand down as a councillor with immediate effect to ensure citizens are best represented in both Parliament and on the council.

"Sophie Cox, the deputy leader of the council, has taken on the responsibilities of council leader and will continue to do so until a new leader is elected at the meeting of the full council on Tuesday, July 23.

“The full council meeting at which a new leader will be elected will begin at 6.30pm on July 23, at Worthing Town Hall.”

A by-election for a new councillor to represent Marine Ward is expected to be held ‘in the coming weeks’, the council said.

Labour’s Beccy Cooper was elected MP for Worthing West after beating Father of the House Sir Peter Bottomley in the General Election.

Dr Cooper received 20,519 votes, a majority of 3,940. The turnout was 66 per cent. Sir Peter had served Worthing West since 1997 and was the longest-serving MP in the Commons, having first been elected in 1975.

An electoral boundary review last year saw Worthing West lose Rustington and gain Angmering and Findon, with the changes coming into effect for voters this election.

Following her win, Dr Cooper said: “I would like to thank all the candidates for their fairness and integrity throughout the campaign. Decency and integrity in politics are not really something that have been very visible as of late.

“My previous job was a public health doctor and I became acutely aware of inequalities and the need for change, and I have to be honest over the last 14 years things haven’t been great in health. This country has some seriously broken national institutions – including the National Health Service, which is incredibly close to my heart.”