THE race is on to find a new Conservative leader on the county council – after David Williams lost his seat in a local election shock.

Just after 9pm on Saturday – and after two recounts – Cllr Williams' Harpenden North East seat was won by the Liberal Democrats, by just 41 votes.

That has left the Conservative group – and the county council – unexpectedly in need of a leader.

The selection process – which will involve all Conservative county councillors – is already underway.

And a new leader will have to be selected in advance of the county council's AGM, on May 25.

That meeting will be the first time councillors will meet face-to-face, after more than 12 months of virtual meetings.

And it is expected to be held at an alternative venue to County Hall, in order to enable social distancing.

On Sunday deputy county council leader Cllr Teresa Heritage – who is now interim county council leader – acknowledged it had been 'sad' to lose David Williams and that the result had been a 'shock'.

She said the Party was still coming to terms with the result and how it could have happened.

But despite having a majority in excess of 1000 in 2017, she stressed that Harpenden North East has not always been a Conservative held seat.

David Williams took over the leadership of the council in 2017, following the death of Robert Gordon.

Cllr Heritage said he had done 'brilliantly' for the county over that time – raising the profile of the county within Hertfordshire and nationally.

And she pointed to his role overseeing the county's response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

She highlighted his support for the county council's emerging sustainability and climate change agenda, as well as ongoing partnership work that included the work of the Hertfordshire Growth Board.

In the election for the Harpenden North East division David Williams took 2022 votes. But Liberal Democrat Paul De Kort was elected with 2063.

Meanwhile Nina Vinther (Green Party) achieved 435 votes and James Gill (Labour Party) got 420.