THE new chairman of Welwyn Hatfield Council is likely to be Panshanger councillor Roger Trigg.

Councillor Trigg, who lives in Tanglewood in Welwyn village and for the past year has been deputy to chairman Maggie Scarff, will be proposed for the role by his Tory colleagues at a council meeting on May 19.

The chairman performs a largely ceremonial role, but presides over full council meetings and has an additional casting vote in the event of deadlock in the council chamber.

Meanwhile the Labour group's leader Paul Orrett has been re-appointed, confounding rumours of a party plot to replace him.

In the wake of last Thursday's district council election, when his party lost a seat to the ruling Conservative group, he was asked to stay on by the other Labour councillors.

Former deputy council leader Alan Johnson is stepping down as the party's number two and will be replaced by Peartree councillor Steve Roberts.

Councillor Roberts' position as chairman of the scrutiny committee goes to former council leader Andrew Tinsley.

May 7, 2003 13:00