Mike Storey quit after being found guilty of misconduct

Councillor Mike Storey quit in November when a watchdog criticised him after he was accused of conspiring against chief executive Sir David Henshaw.

New leader, Warren Bradley, said his predecessor was the right man for the Special Initiatives post.

He will have responsibility for the city's Capital of Culture and 800th birthday celebrations.

Mr Storey resigned after admitting to an "error of judgment".

'Deserved a chance'

Emails between himself and communications chief Matt Finnegan were uncovered by an internal inquiry prompting Sir David Henshaw to claim there had been a conspiracy.

An inquiry by the Standards Board for England found him guilty of misconduct.

But Mr Bradley said he would not be "hung up" about his predecessor's return to the cabinet.

"I think Mike Storey, for all the work, all the brain power he put behind Capital of Culture and all the things he's done over 30 years, deserved a chance to see us into 2008," said Mr Bradley.

"He's proactive and will work to make sure that our 800th birthday celebrations and our year of Capital of Culture are something we will remember for a long time."