JULIAN Bell has been voted out of power by his fellow Labour councillors and will no longer serve as leader of Ealing Council.

The Greenford Broadway councillor will be replaced by Southall Green councillor, Peter Mason, following last night's (May 10) Ealing Labour AGM.

Cllr Bell had only eight months ago survived a vote of no confidence by his own party by the skin of his teeth, 28 to 27 with one abstention.

The now former council chief was in power since 2010 and had recently come under fire over the implementation of the highly controversial Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) schemes.

His replacement, Peter Mason, has also had his fair share of criticism lately, as the former housing and planning cabinet member came under fire for accepting sponsorship from developer Berkeley Group, which is building the controversial Southall Green Quarter regeneration site.

In March 2019, he accepted joint sponsorship for a real estate conference in Cannes, with his entry ticket, flights and hotel amounting to nearly £3,000 paid for by Berkeley Group and a number of other companies such as A2 Dominion, British Land, St George and Imperial College London.

Only a month ago he was forced to apologise to local residents and campaigners and admitted he 'made a mistake' in a public meeting where councillors were asked to explain themselves for appearing to 'do nothing' to help their constituents.

The new Council leader is expected to issue a statement later today.

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