Tom Drummond has been elected as the new Conservative Leader on Sutton Council after Tim Crowley stepped down on Friday.

The news comes after Councillor Tim Crowley issued a statement on October 16, announcing he would step down after a 'momentous' six-and-a half years in charge.

In the statement, Tim Crowley said it was always his intention to stand down midway through the session, however, stayed on an additional six months due to the pandemic.

The statement said: "It has always been my intention to take the group to the point where it can go to the next level and I feel that now is that moment.

“In the time I have been group leader we have gone from having 8 councillors to 18 and we were the only council in London in 2018 to double our Conservative councillors against the Liberal democrats.

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"In my time as leader, we saw the two Liberal Democrat MPs being replaced by two Conservatives Paul Scully and Elliot Colburn as our Borough representatives in Parliament."

He added: “I know that I will be leaving the group in very good hands and I will obviously still be sitting as a ward Councillor.

"I wish my successor well and pledge I will do everything I can to make their bedding into the job as seamless as possible.

“I would like to thank all my fellow Conservative Councillors especially my Deputy Leader Councillor David Hicks and all the officers and voluntary sector organisations all of whom have assisted me greatly throughout the last 6 1⁄2 years."

Tim Crowley congratulated Tom Drummond: