GRAHAM WATT has been appointed leader of Clackmannanshire Council, during a special meeting at Kilncraigs this morning.

The Labour councillor was nominated by his predecessor Bobby McGill who resigned from the post on Tuesday.

Cllr McGill told the Advertiser that he did not have the support of his fellow Labour group members with regards to proposed redundancies at the council.

He said yesterday: "I have to accept that my view is not prevailing; it's very frustrating, but the blame lies with me.

"The majority won't support me, so I have to step back."

SNP proposed their own group leader Cllr Les Sharp as the leader of the council but were voted down.

Cllr Watt, who represents the Clackmannanshire Central ward, will now take the reigns as the Labour administration tries to pass this year's budget.

He is the third leader of the council in the space of nine months, with the previous SNP administration walking away in May last year.

The local authority is being forced to cut millions from its annual expenditure and the use of complusory redundancies had been one of the policies floated under Cllr McGill's tenure.

This had always been rejected by the SNP group, while they were in power and now when they are in opposition.

A total of 350 full-time jobs had been under threat, but the situation this morning remains unclear.

The Advertiser understands that following this morning's appointment, both Labour and the SNP are considering amendments to the budget paper.