THE second challenge to the leadership of East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) in a matter of months looks set to cause uproar.

The first item on next week's district council annual agenda is a motion by two former leaders "to remove from office the leader of the council, councillor Ken Moor, and to elect to the office of leader of the council councillor Ferris Cowper".

Tories Cowper and David Parkinson have been in league with each other for months to remove Mr Moon from the top political job at Penns Place after failing in a bid to oust him from office in February.

On that occasion he survived a vote of no confidence by the skin of his teeth to hang on to his job.

Since then the Conservative-ruled district council has continued to be in turmoil, it is claimed, with a fresh leadership challenge always likely this month following the Hampshire County Council elections.

In February, 19 of the 39-strong Tory group were understood to have voted in favour of a no-confidence vote in Mr Moon, just one short of what was needed to proceed with a leadership contest.

For full story, see this week's Herald.