Council leader Parsons quits

His resignation, on Tuesday, came just hours before County Hall’s ruling Conservative group had been due to hold a motion of no confidence in him.

The motion had been tabled by Byron Rhodes, county councillor for the Vale of Belvoir division and leader of Melton Council.

It came after the county’s standards committee ruled last month that Mr Parsons had breached the councillors’ code of conduct over his travel expenses. Councillor Nick Rushton had become the acting leader of the authority.