THEY were divided behind closed doors, but the ruling Tories stood together at the latest county council meeting.

Held in Winchester on Thursday (May 17), it came after council leader Ken Thornber narrowly survived a leadership bid.

Reports from Conservative sources said he edged the vote 25 to 23 against Cllr Roy Perry, the authority’s deputy leader.

But Cllr Thornber made no mention of the knife-edge contest in his report to the full council.

Instead, he confirmed that Cllr Mel Kendal was replacing Cllr Perry, a former MEP, as deputy.

Cllr Thornber then said: “I offer my thanks to Cllr Perry, who has discharged that duty for the last three years, for which I’m grateful.”

The leadership contest is understood to have arisen after Cllr Thornber went back on a gentleman’s agreement to stand down this year.

Cllr Perry launched a leadership bid 12 months ago, shelving it when the offer was made.

But Cllr Thornber said many Tory colleagues had urged him to stay, which led him to change his mind.

In his report, Cllr Thornber also touched upon the £223,000 project to televise meetings on the authority’s website.

Used for the first time in February, critics labelled it as a white elephant and vanity project at the cash-strapped authority.

But the council leader said: “Between 800 and 1,000 viewers came to our site, and that is many more than we could possibly hope to accommodate in the public gallery.”

At the same meeting, Cllr Anna McNair Scott, who represents The Candovers, stood down as chairman after her 12-month term of office.

She was replaced by her Tory colleague in Alton and vice chairman, Cllr Andrew Joy.

He said: “I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for the confidence that you have placed in me to be your chairman.”

The new vice chairman will be Cllr Pam Mutton, Conservative member for Andover North.

Liberal Democrat leader, Cllr Keith House, also proposed his colleague Cllr Roger Price for the role.

Cllr House argued that the roles of chairman and vice chairman were apolitical, and should be shared between parties.

But the Tories, who hold nearly two-thirds of the council’s seats, all voted for Cllr Mutton.