Councillor Dave Smith, pictured, was last night elected by 14 members of his own party and four Labour councillors – firmly re-establishing an unofficial Lib/Lab town hall pact.

Tory leader Mark Hook managed to secure only 16 votes – all from his party colleagues.

But while Cllr Smith is in charge of the council he won't be leader of his own party with Cllr Peter Chegwyn keeping power.

The Tories say this is because Labour councillors would not vote for Cllr Chegwyn to become council leader.

Cllr Hook said: 'It's very strange that the leader of the party was not voted leader of council. It's got everything to do with the Labour Group refusing to support Cllr Chegwyn as leader of the council but it would happily support Dave Smith.'

The decision to elect a leader at Gosport was always going to be controversial as no party holds a majority.

Before the May elections there were 17 Conservative, eight Labour and nine Lib Dem councillors.

The Conservatives now have 16 seats, the Lib Dems 14 and Labour four.

There still remains no clear ruling party – although a potential Lib Dem/Lab pact does not need the casting vote of the mayor to secure a majority.

Last night Cllr Smith said: 'It's very exciting and I feel honoured that I've been chosen. There are lots of exciting times with large projects to oversee.

'The voters can rest assured that by voting Lib Dem there is nothing but good times ahead.'

Cllr Chegwyn, who is Lib Dem leader and now deputy leader of the council, said: 'Two heads are better than one.

'This way we can have a two-pronged attack.'

In recent years there have been several different council leaders as no party achieved a majority.

Tory leader Cllr Hook, who brought in controversial car parking charges, was the leader until December 2006 when he caused a storm by resigning after his party was continually defeated in the chamber by a Lib/Lab pact.

Although the Tories had 17 seats the casting vote of Labour Mayor June Cully ended pay and display parking in the town centre.

Labour leader Cllr Shaun Cully then took over as leader of the council until the elections this May.