SENIOR Conservatives have been appointed to lead their group on a new council set to takeover in Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland.

A new unitary authority will takeover from the county, city and borough councils in the new area of Cumberland by April 2023.

Members were appointed to the new Cumberland Council on election night last Thursday and it is likely to be Labour controlled. The Conservatives took seven seats, Labour won 30 and the Greens won two.

Independent councillors took three seats and the Liberal Democrats took four.

Allerdale Borough Council leader Mike Johnson has this week been selected to lead the new Cumberland Council Conservative Group.

He will steer the party during both Cumberland Council's shadow year, when it serves alongside the existing authorities, and for the five year term after the unitary authority takes-over from them.

Councillor Johnson, who is also the Cumbria County Council member for Thursby was elected unopposed as the Cumberland Council group leader at their inaugural group meeting this week.

Cllr Johnson said: "I'm very pleased to have been elected leader of the Conservative Group. I look forward to working with the group and with colleagues on the Shadow Authority, serving the people of Cumberland in this new chapter for local government in our county."

His deputy will be David Moore, who won the Gosforth seat for the Conservatives in last week's election.

Cllr Moore is the existing Copeland Borough Councillor for the ward.

Carlisle City Council leader John Mallinson won the Houghton and Irthington seat; he will serve as the Conservative Group's chief whip and treasurer.