At a crucial first meeting of the council following the recent local elections in Worcester, the Green Party offered to work collaboratively for a cooperatively run city council. However, the Labour Party took control of the council, with support from the Lib Dems and the remaining sole Conservative councillor, despite the council being in no overall control.
Cllr Louis Stephen, Green Group Leader said, “This meant that Labour took for themselves the three most important leadership positions, Leader, Deputy Leader and Chair of Policy and Resources Committee.”
Worcester’s Green Party is celebrating its highest ever number of Green Party councillors, increased from 11 to 12. Greens say this is a “vote of confidence” in the work of Green councillors and candidates in the city.
City-wide, the Green Party won the largest vote share in the city (the so called popular vote) but the overall result is that the city council remains in No Overall Control. No party won more than 50% of the seats.
The Labour Party remain the largest group on the city council with 17 councillors and the Green Party are the second largest group with 12 councillors. Leaders of the Green Party offered to work with Labour to create a collaborative council.
Cllr Louis Stephen, Green Group Leader, says, “We believe that as the city has put no individual party in overall control, it is critical that all parties work together to run our city in line with how residents have voted. It’s disappointing that Labour have now rejected that offer and have instead taken for themselves most of the council leadership positions of Leader, Deputy Leader and Chair of Policy & Resources. In a further blow to partnership working Labour also denied the Green’s main request to continue in our successful Chairing of the Environment Committee.”
Cllr Karen Lewing, Deputy Green Leader, says, “It’s disappointing that the Lib Dems decided to back Labour taking both leadership positions. It’s clear that the Green Party is now the main opposition on the council. We’ll continue to support good ideas but will not hesitate to hold Labour to account when they make poor decisions.”