THE new chairman of Salisbury Area Board was decided by the toss of a coin at a meeting on Thursday.

The post, which comes with an annual allowance of almost £7,000, went to Conservative councillor Richard Clewer, pictured right, who represents St Paul's ward.

Labour’s John Walsh, who represents Fisherton and Bemerton Village, wrongly called tails and will serve as deputy chairman.

Cllr Clewer said he wanted the area board to “put party politics aside” for the benefit of the city.

“It’s far more effective and definitely the way I prefer to do politics,” he said.

“We have all been elected, we are all equally valid. We should all work together to do what we can for the city.”

The coin flip came as a tie-breaker, after each candidate won the backing of three other board members.

Cllr Clewer will serve as chairman for the coming year, while Cllr Walsh begins his second term as vice chairman. Previously the chairman was Liberal Democrat Brian Dalton, who represents Harnham.

Labour and the Lib Dems controlled the area board until Lib Dem Dr Helena McKeown stepped down last year.

Her ward of St Edmund and Milford was taken by Tory Atiqul Hoque in a subsequent by-election, splitting the area board, with four Conservative members and four from the combined Lib Dem and Labour ranks.

On his appointment, Cllr Clewer said: “It’s sad we have to come down to a toss of the coin. John Walsh and I work pretty closely anyway and made sure whoever didn’t win became vice chairman.

One of the area board’s priorities is to help the city become a Dementia Friendly Community by September.