Statue-error councillor is leader of opposition

A former council deputy leader, who resigned over the demolition of a sculpture, is now leader of the opposition.

Dan Jellyman has been elected leader of the Conservative group in Stoke-on-Trent, after the party lost control to Labour in the recent local elections.

He stood down as deputy leader in February after approving the demolition of a sculpture of potter Josiah Wedgwood.

He replaces former leader Abi Brown.

He will become leader of the opposition during Thursday's full council meeting, when Labour's Jane Ashworth will be appointed as head of the authority.

The 10ft (3m) red brick statue of the Wedgwood pottery founder, by the late sculptor Vincent Woropay, had stood in Festival Park since 2009.

But it was demolished earlier this year by workers widening Marina Way.

At the time, the city council called the move a "significant operational error", but an internal investigation was launched, at the behest of Ms Brown.

It found the correct approvals were not in place to carry out the work and Mr Jellyman was not in a position to sign off the sculpture's removal, only to give his view.

After his election, Mr Jellyman said: "The job of opposition is to hold the administration to account, and make sure they deliver on what they said they would."

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