Dartford Labour Group has elected a new leadership after its former leader was ousted in last week's local elections.

Jonathan Hawkes has been chosen as the new leader of the opposition at Dartford Borough Council, with Daisy Page alongside her as deputy leader.

Both candidates were elected unanimously by fellow Labour councillors at a meeting on Tuesday.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Hawkes, who represents Stone, said: “It’s a privilege to be elected leader of the Labour group and I can’t wait to get started.

"We’ve got a great team of councillors and we look forward to being an effective opposition – both inside and outside the council chamber.

"There are great opportunities for our community over the next few years, but it will also be a time of significant change and the Council will have important choices to make."

Cllr Hawkes also paid tribute to the outgoing Labour leader, Geoff Prout.

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Geoff Prout, who led the Labour Group in Dartford with dedication and distinction.

Geoff worked harder than anyone to build a better and fairer community and his contribution to our town cannot be understated."