WARWICK District Council will remain Conservative-led after the party made an alliance with Whitnash Residents Association.
After elections which saw the Tories lose 11 seats leaving them with 19, they needed to join forces with another party to take back overall control of the council.
And Whitnash Residents Association’s three councillors agreed, taking the total between the two parties to 22.
It leaves the remaining Green, Labour and Liberal Democrats holding the remaining 22 seats on the council.
But any casting vote needed will be made by the new chairman of the council – Conservative councillor George Illingworth.
After former leader Andrew Mobbs lost his seat in the election, Coun Andrew Day has been chosen as the new council leader.
Fellow Conservative Coun Martyn Ashford was elected as vice chairman.
The remaining parties had called for an alternative vice chair to show a new collaborative way of decision-making, but this was voted down.
Green Party group leader Coun Ian Davison said: “We’re determined to fix our broken politics and so have argued for a more collaborative, transparent and stable way of making decisions in our district.
“We proposed a change from the current adversarial system and were delighted all parties have agreed to investigate a switch to a new system.
“However, the Conservatives refused to allow a vice-chair of the council from another party, which would have been a way of showing commitment to a new collaborative way of working.
“We’ll continue to work for this positive, constructive change as well as focusing on tackling dangerous air pollution and traffic gridlock, and campaigning for better housing and practical steps to address the climate emergency.”
More to follow.
