Edinburgh's 63 newly-elected councillors have pushed back from forming an administration after a virtual meeting which lasted just ten minutes.
Thursday (May 19) saw the first full council meeting since the election, but it was cut short as a result of no deal being finalised by parties vying to form an administration to run The City of Edinburgh Council for the next five years.
"Blink and you'll miss it" was the warning issued by Lib Dem councillor Kevin Lang on Twitter as it kicked off at 10am, before wrapping up less than 10 minutes later.
READ MORE: Edinburgh's SNP and Green councillors negotiating deal to run minority administration
The Council was set to elect a new Lord Provost and appoint councillors to committees, boards and outside organisations, as well as confirm the new leader and depute leader of the local authority.
However, SNP group leader Adam McVey and Labour group leader Cammy Day requested proceedings be adjourned for a week to allow more time for negotiations to continue.
The move was not opposed by any members and Edinburgh City Council's chief executive Andrew Kerr said: "I think that's appropriate at this point.
"That makes a very simple first council meeting, we will defer the meeting to 10am on Thursday, 26th May 2022 and I look forward to seeing you all face-to-face at that point."
Formal negotiations are underway between the SNP and Greens ‘with the aim to form a coalition’, whilst Labour is pushing ahead with plans for a cross-party arrangement that incorporates multiple groups' manifestos into a deal.
Following the local election this month, the SNP were returned as the largest party in Edinburgh with 19 seats, Labour won 13, the Lib Dems 12, Greens 10 whilst the Conservatives now have nine councillors.
Some expressed frustration that two weeks on from polling day, an administration is yet to be formed to take-on the running of the Council and begin delivering on promises made during the election.
Marco Biagi, new SNP councillor for Colinton/Fairmilehead, called Labour "a mess" and criticised the group for "walking away from the natural option of continuing a centre-left partnership with the SNP that has been working for ten years".
He added: "Their group is too divided to agree to continue it."
But fellow ward councillor Scott Arthur, Labour, pointed the finger at the SNP and said: "Despite the talk of mandates, Edinburgh's biggest party failed to table plans to lead the Council."
Cllr Arthur added the Labour group will "table a plan to take forward our capital next week".
Conservative group leader Iain Whyte said: "It was a brief meeting, I'm not sure it takes us any further forward so we'll have to see what happens next week.
"I would imagine that the whole council would have hoped things would have been clearer, but it's been fairly obvious in the City Chambers that it's not easy given various groups' red lines about they who they will and won't talk to form an administration so giving it more time seems I think on an all party basis the obvious thing to do."
As the SNP and Greens attempt to hash out a minority coalition deal in time for next Thursday, Labour group leader Cammy Day is continuing to lead efforts to form a 'rainbow coalition' with the Lib Dems and Greens, which he said could inculde opportunities for "all parties" to take-up formal positions in the council.
Councillor Day said: “We’re continuing our discussions with other political parties to see what’s possible. I don’t think there’s a clear mandate from the electorate in Edinburgh for any one party to control the city."
A Labour insider said: "The SNP and Greens will still bring something forward next week I think, and then you've possibly got Labour-Lib Dems, ideally with the Greens, but the Greens obviously can't be part of both deals, they're going to have to make a decision and we'll just have to see where that goes.
"But we're still in the position where we're not going to make formal deals with any party but stuff around confidence and supply and all the rest of it is entirely possible, as long as we're not handing out wee jobs to people - it's about taking the city forward."
Asked if he has been approached by Cllr Day regarding a cross-party agreement, Councillor Whyte said: "I have had no formal approaches about anything but obviously I'm happy to talk to people about promoting things that are in our manifesto and having as much influence as we can on how the council's run."
