Christopher Hudson has stood down as deputy leader of Suffolk County Council and has been replaced by former deputy leader Jane Storey.

Mr Hudson did not re-stand as running mate to leader Colin Noble at today’s meeting of the council’s Conservative group.

His decision came two weeks after a committee at Suffolk Coastal Council found that he had acted in an intimidatory way towards two councillors during a planning meeting at the district, of which he is also a member.

That removed him from Suffolk Coastal’s planning committee for 12 months.

Mr Hudson was also subject of an inquiry by the Conservative group at the county council earlier this year after one member of the group reported he had been told that the deputy leader had used offensive language.

However no complaint was ever received by the county council monitoring officer and Mr Hudson was not subject to a formal inquiry by the authority – the case was regarded as closed.

Mrs Storey is currently council chairman and it was announced last month that she would be returning to the cabinet after the annual general meeting on May 26 to hold a new portfolio in charge of rural affairs and broadband.