Greens End Council Stalemate

16th May 2007

The Green Party has enabled the Labour group to form a minority administration to run Sheffield City Council for the next year. The two Green councillors and the one Conservative all abstained, allowing the
41 Labour councillors to outvote the combined forces of the 39 Lib Dems and one Independent, who voted against the proposal.

At the same meeting, the Greens proposed an amendment for opposition councillors to chair the majority of Scrutiny Boards (which can "call in" cabinet decisions) and to have more frequent Full Council meetings (up from 6 to 8 a year).

Green Councillor Jillian Creasy said: "We want Sheffield to have a stable administration. Labour has the largest number of seats and is in the best position to do this. We also recognise that the people of Sheffield want to see some changes and we will support the Lib Dem's efforts in this regard. We will keep in close touch with both Labour and the Lib Dems, allowing us to work with them on common goals.

"We expect to push Labour to make more rapid progress on improving public transport, the amount of affordable housing, home insulation programmes and support for the local economy. We will work with the Lib Dems to stem the tide of privatisation, particularly in education and health. We have been offered a place on the Climate Change Task Group of Sheffield First, which is working on a city-wide approach to carbon reductions and will be the place to discuss how this can go hand in hand with economic success. We have good working relationships with the other two councillors (Tory and Independent) holding the balance of power alongside us and although our politics are very different we will work alongside them to get the best out of this novel situation.

"We are firmly of the belief that all councillors want the best for Sheffield. We hope that working alongside all parties will increase the level of genuine debate within the council for the good of the city as a whole."

ENDS

For more information, contact Kathy Aston , Press Officer;

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