LIBERAL Democrats in the New Forest have ditched their leader following a Tory landslide in last week's elections.

Totton councillor Alan Weeks has paid the price for a string of Lib Dem defeats in the elections, which saw the Conservatives increase their majority on the district council from five to 30.

Hythe member Maureen Robinson has been re-appointed leader of the Lib Dem group, 12 months after being replaced by Cllr Weeks.

Cllr Robinson has agreed to head the team for a year and then hand over to Totton councillor David Harrison, the only other person who was nominated in the latest leadership poll.

Cllr Harrison said: "Alan was willing to continue as leader but wasn't nominated at the annual group meeting.

"The district council results were disappointing and I think Alan has accepted his share of the responsibility for that.

"He worked incredibly hard in the run-up to the elections but the number of votes cast don't always reflect the amount of effort put in."

Cllr Harrison said he would succeed Cllr Robinson next May if the group agreed.

He added: "Maureen is extremely experienced and very capable. She's respected on both sides of the council chamber and has done the job before, so it's not really surprising that's she's been re-elected as leader."

Cllr Weeks said: "I played no part in the selection process and am content to continue in my new role as environment spokesman.

"The reduced workload will also allow time to focus my energies on serving the people of Totton, both as a district and county councillor for the town."

Cllr Robinson said: "I'm very positive about the future. There's a lot of hard work to be done but people are up for it."

The new leader's first major test will be the Bramshaw, Copythorne North and Minstead by-election on June 14.

Voting was postponed from local election day, May 3, after the death of Lib Dem candidate Pauline Watkins.