A protest took place outside Aberdeen City Council as one of the youngest local authority leaders in Britain took up his post.

Callum McCaig, 26, is the new leader of Aberdeen City Council following crunch talks between the city’s SNP and Liberal Democrat coalition earlier this week.

At the meeting Mr McCaig was welcomed by the Lord Provost and on taking up his post he said: "I hope I don't let anyone down."

McCaig, who was elected to the council at the age of 22, will replace councillor John Stewart who tendered his resignation on Friday after the SNP won a second key by-election to become the largest party at Aberdeen Town House.

Around 40 members of Friends of Union Terrace Gardens campaign group protested on Wednesday morning outside Aberdeen Town House ahead of the full council meeting.

They are up in arms over the controversial plans to raise the Union Terrace Gardens.

A world-wide design competition for the City Garden project received 55 submissions which are now being short-listed. A referendum on the topic is also being proposed at the council meeting.

Mike Shepherd, chairman of Friends of Union Terrace Gardens campaign group, said: “We were pleased with the turnout and we hope the council listens to us. We hope that Callum McCaig becoming leader of the council does make a difference.

"He has said that he has not made up his mind on what he wants to happen to Union Terrace Gardens so hopefully he will listen to the people of Aberdeen." 

Iain Richardson, committee member of Friends of UTG, said: “It’s very clear that the people of Aberdeen do not support this project. The city is already in a huge amount of debt and there is no way it can afford to go ahead with this project.”

Aberdeen resident Michael Plata said: “The gardens are an oasis of peace and I feel destroying them is completely wrong.”

The young councillor said he was wished his predecessor well and hoped to work hard with members of the public.

Councillor McCaig said: "I hope to work constructively with each and every member and with the public. I’m happy to listen to the public about anything, which is something that we all councillors already do.

"I thank councillor John Stewart and the Lord Provost for their best wishes and I hope not to let anyone down." 

Members were told that a new group has been formed at Aberdeen City Council following the breakdown in relations between the two Conservative groups. Marie Boulton,  Jim Farquharson and  Alan Milne will unite to become the Independent Alliance Group.

Aberdeen City Council requires to make savings of around £120m over the next five years. The decisions over exactly what services will be cut will also be outlined on Wednesday.