The youngest-ever mayor of Cromer is set to lead North Norfolk District Council (NNDC).

Tim Adams, 30, has been unanimously elected leader of the council's majority Liberal Democrat group, and is expected to be voted in as NNDC leader at its next full meeting on February 9.

It follows an announcement by the council's current leader, Sarah Bütikofer, that she is standing down for personal reasons, as both her parents have died with Covid in the past year, and her husband and fellow councillor, Pierre Bütikofer, is battling cancer.

Mr Adams said the biggest challenges the council wanted to address were quality of life and housing, amid soaring energy and property costs.

He said: "We really want to do more to improve quality of life for residents of north Norfolk. We're putting a lot into household-focused services, and we're hiring an energy officer to help alleviate fuel poverty."

Mr Adams said the district's affordable housing shortage, helping businesses and improving the environment were other top priorities.

He said: "We have reduced the council’s carbon footprint and are now about halfway towards planting 110,000 trees.

"We hope to approve our 'net-zero strategy' shortly, which will include improving council-owned lighting and undertaking a range of other projects.”

Mr Adams attended Sheringham High School, and went onto run several cleaning companies, specialising in carpeting and upholstery.

He became Cromer's youngest-ever mayor in 2015 when he was 24, and he remains on the town council. Mr Adams became the county councillor for Cromer division in 2017, and the district councillor for Cromer Town ward in 2019. He founded the charity Cromer Cares during the first coronavirus lockdown.

Mr Adams paid tribute to Mrs Bütikofer. He said: "She has shown immense strength through some incredible challenges, from the early collapse of the previous Conservative administration to the district council’s response to Covid, and everything in between.

"There were many problems to unpick left for us by the chaotic nature of what had happened before the Lib Dems took over, and Sarah has led us through that.”

Mrs Bütikofer said: "I congratulate him on his election. I have immensely enjoyed working with him and know the residents of the north Norfolk can rely on him to take us all forward.”