The election of the new leader of Wandsworth Council will take place this week, ending nearly 20 years of stewardship by the country’s longest serving council leader.

When Councillor Edward Lister announced he was stepping down to take on his new role as Boris Johnson’s Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for planning, it presented the chance for a member of the current council Conservative group to take over the reins.

After discussions by the group at a special meeting last Saturday, Tory councillors will cast their votes for candidates who have put their hats in the ring for the top job on Thursday.

The names of those who have put themselves forward is a closely guarded secret, all that the Conservative group will say is that there are less than 10 candidates.

Last month Coun Lister predicted that the successful candidate would be a member of the current cabinet due to the knowledge and experience needed for the job.

Campaigning for the by-election for Coun Lister's Thamesfield seat has already started with the Liberal Democrats Lisa Smart already putting in the groundwork and leafleting to try and become the party's only councillor in Wandsworth.

The Labour group has given Christian Klapp another chance to join the minority party at the town hall after he unsuccessfully campaigned for an East Putney seat in last May's council elections.