THE new leader of City of York Council looks set to be confirmed today, and councillors are to hold a crucial vote on Lendal Bridge refunds.

Cllr Dafydd Williams has already been named Labour group leader on the council, but has had to wait until today for a vote of all 47 members of the council to confirm him as council leader.

In the same meeting, which takes place from 6.30pm at the Guildhall, the outgoing leader James Alexander is set to use his final leader’s report to criticise political opponents for their stance over the highly controversial Local Plan – saying the Liberal Democrats want a plan which would fail Government inspection and throwing down the gauntlet to the Conservative group to help deliver a viable local plan.

And at the same meeting councillors will vote on whether to issue refunds on all Lendal Bridge fines rather than asking drivers to apply for their money back - something incoming leader Cllr Williams has already publicly supported; and will also debate motions on protecting pubs from development, blocking charges for garden bins, opposing Government proposals to get rid of conductors on Transpennine and Northern Rail trains around York, and in opposition to Government imposed reorganisations of the NHS.