Council seeks deputy leader to replace newly-elected MSP

News imageBBC A woman with medium-length curly dark hair and clear glasses smiles into the camera. She is wearing a white jacket, a yellow lanyard and a badge with a saltire on it. She is standing in front of a sandstone wall.BBC
Katie Hagmann won a seat for the SNP at the recent Scottish Parliament election

A council is due to elect a new deputy leader after the last person in the role won a seat in the Scottish Parliament election.

Katie Hagmann won the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency for the SNP last month.

She has since stepped down as deputy leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council.

However, she intends to continue in her role as a councillor with the local authority representing the Mid Galloway and Wigtown West ward.

Hagmann took up the role about a year ago when her party took control of the council.

The Conservative leader and deputy leader had stepped down in the face of a vote of no confidence.

Last month Hagmann helped the SNP to hold the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency which sits to the north of Dumfries and Galloway.

Now a special meeting has been called to see who will take her place as deputy to council leader, Stephen Thompson.

Whoever is elected is likely to stay in place until at least the next local government elections next May.