FORMER Kent County Council leader Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart has expressed his “delight and honour” at becoming a working peer.

Sir Sandy is one of 23 new members of the House of Lords announced this week - in a list scaled down because of the “cash for peerages” controversy.

He said he received a letter from Downing Street on behalf of the Queen confirming his appointment at the weekend.

“It was very nice and I am really pleased to have an opportunity to play a part in checking and revising legislation in the House of Lords,” he said.

Sir Sandy was KCC leader for eight years and is currently chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA) and County Councillor for Maidstone Rural East.

He said while he was delighted on a personal level he viewed his peerage as a reward for the efforts of many other people.

He added: “I feel it will be a very useful platform to promote some of the big issues affecting Kent like planning, housing and development, which over the years we have all fought and worked so hard for.”

Sir Sandy, 63, stood down as KCC leader last October.

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