Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst has been elected unopposed as the new leader of Three Rivers District Council (TRDC).

Succeeding Cllr Sarah Nelmes on Tuesday (May 21), Cllr Giles-Medhurst said: "It is a huge honour to be appointed leader and to continue building on the marvellous achievements we have made over the last few years that put residents and our environment at the forefront.

"I am proud of our green credentials, and I want us to retain as much of our green belt as possible as well as continue to make huge strides in our climate agenda to make the district net zero by 2045."

Watford Observer: (From left to right) Cllr Matthew Bedford, the new deputy leader of the council, and Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, leader of the council(From left to right) Cllr Matthew Bedford, the new deputy leader of the council, and Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, leader of the council (Image: Three Rivers District Council)

Born in Hillingdon in 1957, the new leader was first elected as the youngest councillor in the London Borough of Harrow Council in 1978, with him being the sole Liberal councillor at the time.

He served 20 years in Harrow, including a term as mayor in 1995-96, before moving to Three Rivers in 1999.

The Liberal Democrat then became a district councillor for Leavesden in 2000, an Abbots Langley parish councillor in 2008, and the county councillor for Central Watford and Oxhey in 2001.

Cllr Giles-Medhurst was the deputy leader of the council in July 2020 under Cllr Nelmes' leadership.