Ken Bodfish has been appointed leader of the ruling group on Brighton and Hove City Council. Who is he and what is he like? Adam Trimingham reports.

Whatever happens in the next year on Brighton and Hove City Council, politics will not be boring now Ken Bodfish is in control.

It took him a long time to reach the top of the greasy pole and, now that he is there, the former Open University lecturer intends to make his mark.

He has never been one to shy away from controversy. Only last month he was defending the decision to build more homes in the South-East when most other Sussex politicians remain nervous about it.

Coun Bodfish, 58, also waded into the row over policing by favouring a decision to merge the divisions in Brighton and Hove.

He is one of the most experienced politicians in Brighton and Hove, having been a councillor in the North-West before moving south more than 20 years ago.

Ken Bodfish joined East Sussex County Council when it controlled the most important services in the two towns, including education and transport. He quickly became leader of the Labour group.

Then he was elected to chair Sussex Police Authority at a sticky time both for the force and its Chief Constable Paul Whitehouse.

When the new Brighton and Hove Council was formed, Ken Bodfish was elected for Queen's Park ward and quickly became a leading member.

He was appointed to the Cabinet when it was created in 1999, taking on the regeneration portfolio.

Much has been achieved during that time, including the awarding of assisted area status to most of Brighton and Hove. This means existing firms are given inducements to expand and new ones can be attracted to the city.

Millions more have been won for Brighton and Hove through the Government's Single Regeneration Project while the New Deal for Communities scheme has brought £47 million into east Brighton, including Whitehawk and Moulsecoomb, over a ten-year period.

There has also been European money for Brighton through the Urban and Interreg projects and this is a particular interest of Ken Bodfish.

He is the leading Labour member for the Committee for the Regions and spends a great deal of time lobbying within Europe; so much so that he is sometimes referred to as the member for south east Brussels.

His OBE, awarded in 1999, was for services to international affairs in local government. He was going to stand as a Euro MP in the last election but thought better of it.

This weekend, he will be attending the Congress of European Socialists in Berlin along with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He has also been an observer at elections taking place both in Bosnia and in Russia.

Coun Bodfish is also an advocate of regional government and is a member of the South East Regional Development Agency.

With this background, he is not a parochial politician. Indeed, one concern of colleagues will be how he will juggle the time to fit in his many commitments.

Leading the council is more than a full-time job. There are many difficulties ahead, including what to do with the city's waste and ratifying the Local Plan.

Already, the cabinet has been rejigged to bring in experienced old hands such as Brian Fitch, the most senior councillor on the authority.

There is also Coun Bodfish's next-door neighbour, Jackie Lythell, part of the Queen's Park 'mafia'. After taking a back seat in the past year, she is now deputy leader and Cabinet councillor for finance.

The new team will be much more upfront than the previous administration. While the former lead Coun Lynette Gwyn-Jones was a stickler for detail rather than daring, Ken Bodfish will be forthright.

He has to make peace with the rebel councillors in the Labour group who helped cause mayhem during the last administration by voting against or abstaining on major issues.

So far, there have been warm words but one rebel said: "We think it will be the same old story with none of us being given any jobs."

Coun Bodfish has been upbeat and upfront as expected in outlining his immediate priorities.

He said: "Labour has achieved much in Brighton and Hove but there is more to do. We can be justly proud of our successes and our national recognition but we cannot be complacent about the tasks ahead.

"We must concentrate on the quality of the services we provide. It is essential we attain the highest standards in street cleansing, education, housing, social and health care and all other services.

"We need a greater emphasis on the quality of life in our urban environment and to be radical and robust in tackling controversial issues such as congestion and the movement of people around the city.

"I am confident my considerable involvement in regional, national and European local politics provides me with the experience and understanding to lead the Labour group towards the achievement of a socially-inclusive, prosperous and caring city."

The 33 to 9 margin of victory over Joyce Edmond-Smith in the leadership contest shows most of his colleagues share his belief that he is the man of the moment.

But one of them said: "You never know with Ken. He has ideas and innovation but sometimes we may have to restrain him if he gets out of hand."

Undoubtedly, Ken Bodfish is an odd fish, which makes him an attractive figure in a world of identikit politicians.

He will have to use all his personal charm and political skills to lead the city during a difficult year ahead. The most crucial decision will be the referendum, likely in the autumn, on whether there should be a directly-elected mayor.

If the referendum answer is Yes, Ken Bodfish is certain to want to stand but he will face tough opposition from other leading Labour politicians and from the Tory opposition.

Much depends on his record as leader. If he does well, nothing may be beyond Ken.