Councillor Sophie Cox has been elected as the new leader of Worthing Borough Council.

She takes the place of Dr Beccy Cooper, who stood down as a councillor earlier this month following her election as the new Labour MP for Worthing West.

Cllr Cox, who represents Castle Ward, started her term in office in May 2023.

Prior to her election as leader, she was the deputy leader of the council and is a cabinet member for young people, communities and climate crisis.

Cllr Cox said, “It’s an absolute honour to have been elected as the Leader of Worthing Borough Council.

“I promise to always have the residents’ interests at the heart of what we do as a council and continue the work that our previous Leader Beccy Cooper started to make Worthing the fairest, greenest coastal town.”

She named fellow Labour councillor Rita Garner, who represents Tarring Ward and has been in office since May 2022, as the new deputy leader at the meeting of the full council at Worthing Town Hall on July 23rd.