TWO gay councillors are about to become the first civil partnership in the country to hold the positions of leader of the council and ceremonial mayor.

Labour councillors Christopher Akers-Belcher and Stephen Akers-Belcher have said they are proud to hold the top two positions at Hartlepool Borough Council.

Christopher, who is Labour group leader, will become leader of the council from Monday, May 6 while partner Stephen, who is currently chairman of the council, is set to be confirmed as ceremonial mayor next week.

The pair have been in a civil partnership for seven years and Christopher said he hopes their new positions will encourage diversity in politics.

Christopher, 45, a father-of-four and grandfather-of-one, said: "I hope it also sends out the message that people who are perceived to be different will never be put off civil life.

"We are really proud to be the first civil partnership in the country to hold both roles and it just shows how progressive Hartlepool has become.

"It has got to the point where nobody really cares about our sexual orientation, all people are really concerned about is whether we can do the job.”

Stephen, 33, said: "We are a couple, but we have different views and that is healthy. We are not joined at the hip and there are times when I vote against him and he votes against me.

"But nobody is in the doghouse at the end of the day or sleeping on the sofa at night."

From Monday, the role of directly-elected mayor, currently held by Mayor Stuart Drummond, will cease to exist in Hartlepool after people in the town voted to scrap it.