Chester-le-Street District Council's first female leader will take her place on the council next week.

Councillor Linda Ebbatson, 56, is taking over from Malcolm Pratt.

Mr Pratt spent the past 12 years of 32 years' service on the local authority as council leader, and before him, George Staines held the post for 15 years.

Although Chester-le-Street's large Labour majority survived an election that elsewhere in the North-East spelt disaster for the party, Coun Ebbatson's appointment heralds a new chapter in the council's history.

About half the council's Labour candidates are new faces.

Coun Ebbatson became increasingly active in local politics after being given responsibility for steering the renewal of the council's troubled housing department.

She was given the portfolio for housing earlier this year, after the Housing Inspectorate published a stinging report into the failings of the housing service and referred it to the Deputy Prime Minister's department.

She said: "I got involved in the housing and I suppose got quietly angry about that and could really see the need for change, so I just became more and more active here at the council."

"I am under no illusions about the challenges facing me, other councillors, employees and the larger community. The road to improvement is a journey that we all share in."

Coun Ebbatson, 56, was voted on to Chester-le-Street District Council four years ago, at about the same time as she received her PhD in archaeology from Durham University.

The leader and deputy leader, Councillor Simon Henig, will take their posts at the council's annual meeting on Tuesday.