THE sudden resignation of Surrey County Council chairman Peter Martin has led to the need for a change in the council’s constitution.

Mr Martin, who remains a county and Waverley borough councillor, resigned from his position as council chairman last week for what he said was “a lapse of good judgment” in a recent interview with a candidate.

Now officers need to make amendments to the council constitution to allow for a new chairman to be elected mid-term instead of at its annual meeting.

In a statement announcing his resignation last week, Mr Martin, the county councillor for Godalming South, Milford and Witley since 2005, said he had “lacked empathy and cultural awareness” during an interview.

It is not known what role the interview was for or who the candidate was or what was said.