Newcastle City Council is set to appoint its first female leader, while calls have come for an inquiry into issues with the authority's political leadership.
Karen Kilgour is set to be officially voted in this evening after running unopposed in a leadership contest.
She will succeed Nick Kemp, who resigned as leader last month after an accusation of bullying was made against him by the council’s director of investment and growth, Michelle Percy.
Cllr Kemp has reportedly written to colleagues ‘strenuously’ denying the allegations.
This evening's meeting will also hear a call for an inquiry into issues with the council's political leadership.
A motion proposed by the Lib Dem opposition group's leader, Colin Ferguson, says: ‘Adverse publicity focusing on the political leadership of the local authority has swirled for nearly two years, covering council contracts, arrangements for the governance of audit and standards matters, questions about culture and climate at the very top, culminating with the resignation of the council leader and a member of cabinet.’
It says the authority's cabinet should ‘immediately instigate an independent inquiry into these issues’ and report back to full council.
