The new Lib Dem group: Councillors Tom Simon, Luisa Porritt and Nancy Jirira

THE winner of the Fortune Green by-election has been named the new deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group at the Town Hall.

Nancy Jirira held the seat vacated by the party’s longest-serving councillor, Flick Rea, at Thursday’s ward poll.

Watch: Lib Dem councillor Nancy Jirira’s post-election interview

Luisa Porritt remains the leader of the group with Cllr Jirira as the deputy. Tom Simon, the third Lib Dem councillor in the group, is chief whip.

It is Cllr Jirira’s second spell on the council having already represented the ward between 2010 and 2014.