The Conservative deputy leader of Kent County Council has lost the job in a reshuffle of the authority's top team.

Cllr Alex King has been replaced by the Canterbury county councillor John Simmonds, who will combine the role with his job of finance cabinet member.

Cllr King has been a county councillor for Tunbridge Wells since 1989 and is one of longest-serving county members on the council. However, KCC leader Paul Carter has dropped him from the second-in-command role after eight years.

Cllr King said: "It is a matter for Paul who he wants in his cabinet. I am not bitter and twisted about it. I have done it for eight years and it is probably time for someone else to have a go."

However, he added that he had "not voluntarily left."

Mr King has been is hospital with a fractured leg and was unable to be at his count when the results were declared last week.

The re-shuffle has also seen a new politician in charge of education. Cllr Roger Gough, from Sevenoaks, replaces Cllr Mike Whiting, who lost his seat in the recent election.

One of Cllr Gough's immediate tasks will be to put the council's plans for a new grammar school annexe in west Kent back on track.

The proposal is facing difficulties as the Department for Education says it intends to hand the site KCC has earmarked for the new school to a free school instead.

There is also a new man in charge of looking after Kent's road network.

Cllr David Brazier takes on the job from Gravesend councillor Bryan Sweetland, who remains in the cabinet with responsibility for KCC's commercial operations and its series of companies.

Cllr Brazier is one of two new faces - the other being Cllr Gary Cooke of Maidstone.

However, the nine-strong cabinet remains heavily male-dominated with just one woman - the member for specialist children's services, Jenny Whittle.

The new appointments are as follows;

• Paul Carter - Leader and Cabinet Member for Business Strategy, Audit & Transformation
• John Simmonds - Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance & Procurement
• David Brazier - Cabinet Member for Transport & Environment
• Gary Cooke - Cabinet Member for Corporate & Democratic Services
• Mark Dance - Cabinet Member for Economic Development
• Graham Gibbens - Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services & Public Health
• Roger Gough - Cabinet Member for Education & Health Reform
• Mike Hill - Cabinet Member for Community Services
• Bryan Sweetland - Cabinet Member for Commercial & Traded Services
• Jenny Whittle - Cabinet Member for Specialist Children?s Services