Cllr Keith Moffitt new Group Leader

10.20.09pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 26th May 2005

At Camden's Annual Council (11 May 2005), Cllr Keith Moffitt will take over from Cllr Flick Rea as the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Camden Council.

Cllr Moffitt said: "I am honoured that my group has asked me to succeed Flick Rea has the leader of our group. Flick has been an inspirational and high-profile leader for many years and will be a hard act to follow. I am delighted that she is continuing in the role of Deputy Leader of our group and look forward to continuing our close working partnership.

"We owe Flick a great debt of gratitude for building up our Council group to its present strength. Last Thursday's General Election results demonstrated that the Liberal Democrats are the real challengers to Labour in Camden - and across much of North London - and we look forward to turning that support into extra seats on Camden Council in May 2006".

Cllr Rea said: "This is the right time for me to hand over the leadership of the Liberal Democrat Group. Next year will see Council elections which will elect councillors for the next four years. I don't believe it is right to go into an election with one leader and come out with another!

"The manifesto on which we shall fight next year's Council Elections needs to be one of which the new leader has ownership. I am therefore standing down as leader of the Group in good time for Keith to have a major say in both the manifesto and the approval of our candidates. I am not, however, going to stand down as a councillor and have every intention of vigorously fighting the Council Elections next May and continuing to work for the residents of Fortune Green and to represent their interests as I have always done.

"Keith and I have worked closely together for a number of years, he commands wide respect and I can't think of anyone more suitable to lead the Lib Dems into the next Elections and to build on our success. He has my full support."

Cllr Moffitt added, "We shall be working on the detail of our manifesto for the 2006 Council elections in coming months, but key themes will greater responsiveness, more decision making at local level and better value for money".

Ends

Notes to editors:

1. Flick Rea has been leader of the Liberal Democrat Group since her election to represent Fortune Green Ward on Camden Council in 1986.

2. Keith Moffitt was first elected to Camden Council in 1994, and has represented West Hampstead Ward (formerly West End Ward) ever since. He has been Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Camden Council since 2002, and stood for the European Parliament in June 2004.

3. Keith Moffitt combines his work as a Camden councillor with a career as a freelance translator; he speaks fluent French, German and Portuguese, and rusty Italian and Russian. He is Vice-Chair of the Institute of Linguists. He previously worked for 20 years in the energy industry, during which time he chaired a United Nations committee on energy trade.

4. Keith Moffitt has lived in West Hampstead since 1977.