Lib Dem councillor takes temporary charge of City of York Council

The Ludlow & Tenbury Wells Advertiser once described Ludlow Town Council as "beleaguered" and "in meltdown".

So far The Press (which was called the Yorkshire Evening Press when I was a student) has avoided such language when talking about City of York Council, but the day cannot be far off.

Take yesterday's report:

York's Conservative leader says he is "in talks" on renewing the deal to run the city council with the Lib Dems, after councillors failed to agree on a new leader. 

Cllr Ian Gillies was elected leader of City of York Council's Conservative group earlier this month, but last night could not get enough votes to become the council leader - with the Liberal Democrats and opposition councillors voting down his nomination. 

With his predecessor Cllr David Carr resigning and accusing his fellow Conseravtives of betrayal, that left with authority with no leader and Lib Dem deputy council leader Cllr Andrew Waller in temporary charge. 

A second Conservative councillor, Suzie Mercer, also resigned from the party.

Since the 2015 elections the council has been run by an uneasy Conservative and Liberal Democrat administration.

Relations between the two parties were not helped when David Carr had two Lib Dem councillors suspended from the executive for reasons that remain obscure.