Kingston RLBC has confirmed the resignation of Derek Osbourne as council leader in the aftermath of his arrest on Tuesday 11 June on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.

A council spokesman last night stated that Mr Osbourne has been bailed until August pending a police investigation.

As an interim measure, Cllr Liz Green, who is deputy leader of Kingston, will serve as acting leader to ensure the business and work of the London borough can continue.

‘Everyone connected with Kingston Council is shocked by this news and we will of course assist and support the police investigation in any way that we can,' the spokesman added.

Cllr Osbourne has served as a councillor in Kingston for a quarter of a century, having first been elected in 1986. 

Before his resignation, Cllr Osbourne served as chair or vice-chairman of 11 Kingston council committees and was also chairman of the South London Waste Partnership Joint Committee - where only last month he succeeded in pushing through plans to build an incinerator in Sutton.