WATCH: Labour's Shabina Qayyum elected new leader of Peterborough City Council

Dennis Jones' resignation as council leader last week triggered an extraordinary full council meeting which took place on Friday, September 12.

At the meeting, Cllr Qayyum and Conservative group leader Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald were both nominated to become the new council leader.

Councillors agreed to skip debate and move straight to a vote due to some members in attendance being ill.

After a round of voting, Cllr Qayyum was elected with 37 votes, with Cllr Fitzgerald receiving 12 and four abstentions. Notably, seven councillors were absent from the meeting.

Speaking after being elected Cllr Qayyum, who is a GP, said: "It feels very surreal. It's been 27 years since we had a female leader in ex-councillor Cathy Weaver who was elected in 1996.

"It is a humbling moment. It's been a very difficult week because of business stopping at the council but I'm incredibly humbled by the fact that members have put their faith in to me.

"There's a real task ahead and it's about taking everybody forward."