The leader of Stockport council's opposition Labour group has stepped down – with her former deputy admitting the Labour Party's name has become a 'toxic brand' in some parts of the borough.

Councillor Christine Carrigan announced on Friday evening that she has stepped back from leading Stockport Labour group after 12 months in the role. She remains an elected councillor in the Brinnington and Stockport Central ward.

The move came after Stockport Labour group slipped from 19 to 14 councillors in the borough after the local elections on May 7.

The Lib Dems ended up with 33 out of 63 council seats in Stockport, enough to form a majority at the town hall for the first time in 15 years.

Councillor Carrigan posted on her Facebook page on Friday: "I have today stepped down from the position of leader of the Stockport Labour group.

"Last night was a hard night. Incredibly sad that we lost some amazing candidates and councillors.

"Not because they were not hard working people of service, but because people on the doorstep do not believe this government is working for them.

"For that I have a lot of sympathy and I do think this version of the Labour Party has to improve hugely and quickly."

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Her former deputy Paul Wright, a Labour councillor in Davenport and Cale Green, said in some parts of Stockport the Labour Party has become a 'toxic brand' to voters, and that he wants to focus on being a ward councillor in Davenport and Cale Green.

He added: "Labour cannot afford to skirt around the edges – we need to focus on making tangible changes in people's lives. It's clearly what people want, and not be so distant from the people we formed to represent."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands that Stockport Labour group held its annual general meeting on Friday May 8 after the local elections.

Rachel Wise, who holds a seat in Reddish, put her name forward to be the next leader of Stockport Labour group and was elected unopposed, with Heatons South councillor Claire Vibert chosen as deputy.

Councillor Wise pointed to the national Labour Party for the local election results, saying that Labour's losses in Stockport 'can't all be down' to local members.

She told the LDRS: "Given the change and the fact that we have lost three really good female councillors, we do need to look at what we're doing and how we're getting our message across, because clearly it's not getting through."