Councillors in Hartlepool have elected Councillor Dave Bruce as the new Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council.
Councillor Bruce, who represents the Fens and Greatham Ward for Reform UK, was elected this evening at an extraordinary meeting of Full Council and takes up the position with immediate effect.
He replaces Councillor Graham Harrison, who resigned as Leader earlier this month due to a change in his personal circumstances.
Councillor Bruce was elected to the Council in May 2026 and brings with him significant experience from a career in the engineering and manufacturing sectors, where he has held a number of senior leadership positions and continues to work in a senior operations role.
Councillor Dave Bruce
He said: "It is a real honour to have been appointed to this role and I would like to pay tribute to the work that Graham has done during his time as Leader.
"I am proud to be taking on the reins from Graham, who has done a really positive job of leading the new administration and setting the policy direction for the Council. He has helped establish strong foundations and I very much intend to build on that good work.
"My priority now is to ensure the Council continues moving forward with a clear focus on delivering for residents.
"We face some significant challenges, particularly around the Council's financial position, and restoring financial stability must be our number one priority over the coming months.
"We are currently projecting an overspend of more than £5 million in the current financial year, driven in large part by the increasing number of children entering the care system.
"Since May, I have been leading detailed reviews of the Council's budgets and I want to build on this work by looking at how services are delivered, identifying where we can do things differently and making sure we achieve the maximum possible benefit for residents.
"Every pound spent by the Council is taxpayers' money and we have a responsibility to ensure it is spent wisely and delivers value for money.
"Finance is the foundation of any successful organisation and we must do everything we can to put the Council on a sustainable footing for the future.
"At the same time, there is no doubt that we need additional funding from the Government and I want residents to know that I will give it my all to secure the support Hartlepool needs.
"My second key priority is implementing the Council's new Leader and Cabinet governance model as we follow the Government's direction to move away from the committee system.
"This will be a major change for the authority, but it is one that will provide clearer accountability, stronger leadership and more streamlined decision-making. It is important that we make the transition successfully and ensure the new arrangements support our ambition to deliver better outcomes for local people."
Councillor Bruce said he is also looking forward to playing a leading role in the Council's transformation and efficiency programme.
He said: "My career has given me a strong interest in transformation and finding better ways of doing things.
"I want to see us build a Council that is efficient, modern and easy for residents to access, while ensuring services remain focused on the needs of local people.
"There is a huge amount of work ahead of us, but I am looking forward to the challenge and to working with councillors, officers, partners and residents to deliver positive change for Hartlepool."