THE leader of Dorset County Council has been elected to the same position on the new Shadow Dorset Council.

Cllr Rebecca Knox was appointed as the chairman of the new authority, a position which also gives her its top position.

The Shadow Dorset Council was formed earlier this month to manage the transition work of the merger of the six Dorset area councils into the new Dorset Council – which will be formed next year.

It is made up of all 174 councillors of the existing authorities with a shadow executive of 20 members responsible for the majority of decisions.

At Monday’s inaugural meeting of the executive, Cllr Know was chosen as chairman with Cllr Gary Suttle made vice-chairman.

Cllr Knox said: “I am delighted to be elected as Leader of the Shadow Dorset Council.

“We have listened to our residents and are doing what they’ve asked us to do in creating a new Dorset council.

“That’s our task and that’s what we will do for April 1, 2019.

“We come from six different council areas, but we become one here.

“We will have no boundaries and we are committed to working together with a collective responsibility to do the best for our residents.”