Winchester Conservatives have elected a new leader to replace George Beckett who is standing down.

Keith Wood will lead Tory councillors on Winchester City Council after the elections on May 3.

He takes over from George Beckett who is not standing for re-election in Compton and Otterbourne.

Cllr Wood, who represents Sparsholt, has been the lead member for finance and produced a budget which the Tories said avoided cuts in services without increasing council tax.

He worked for the Bank of England for many years, then the International Monetary Fund.

Cllr Beckett will continue as leader of the council until May. He hopes to be the Conservative candidate for the new role of Hampshire police commissioner.