The new Lib-Lab coalition running South Gloucestershire Council has been branded “inherently unstable” after it emerged either side could pull the plug with just one month’s notice – or even immediately. Opposition Conservatives say the partnership agreement, published in the last few days, “raises alarm bells” that it was created in an “atmosphere of mutual suspicion and distrust”.
Council leader Cllr Claire Young (Liberal Democrat, Frampton Cotterell) says her group and Labour have taken the time to establish a proper deal and build a good working relationship so they can “ensure a stable partnership which will work for everyone” in the district. The two parties have teamed up to run the authority after the Tories lost control of the council at last month’s local elections following eight years in power.
While the Conservatives remain the largest group in the chamber, they lost 10 of their 33 seats at the ballot box, while the Lib Dems were up three to 20 and Labour gained six and now has 17, plus one new independent. It means no single group has 31 councillors that would give them an overall majority, but unlike before the elections on May 4, the two former opposition parties now have enough between them.
Read more: South Gloucestershire Council Lib-Lab coalition 'destined to fail' claims opposition
Much of the agreement echoes what Cllr Young announced at a recent meeting of full council, such as prioritising tackling the climate emergency and cost-of-living crisis and establishing area committees to devolve some decision-making powers to local ward members. It says she will be the council’s representative on the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) committee, which also includes metro mayor Dan Norris, fellow Labour mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, and Bath & North East Somerset Council leader Lib Dem Cllr Kevin Guy.
The following year the parties will switch and South Gloucestershire Council co-leader and Labour group leader Cllr Ian Boulton (Staple Hill & Mangotsfield) will attend Weca committee. The document says the administration will prepare an evidence-based local plan – the district’s planning blueprint – and that, as things currently stand, it does “not consider it appropriate for South Gloucestershire to accept Bristol’s housing overflow”.
But the last few sections of the eight-page agreement have sparked criticism and concerns that the coalition’s foundations are shaky. It says the agreement will be subject to six-monthly reviews to check the partnership is still working.
And it adds: “Either party may withdraw from this agreement by giving one month’s written notice to the other party. Should either party breach the terms of this agreement then the other party may give written notice of immediate termination.”
Conservative group leader Cllr Sam Bromiley (Parkwall & Warmley) told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “After a long wait, the Labour-Lib Dem coalition has finally allowed the public to see the terms and conditions on which their agreement is based – and it raises alarm bells. Far from promising the electorate a radically different approach to running the council, their list of ambitions for South Gloucestershire contains nothing new.
“Instead it merely continues work that has already been successfully delivered by the previous Conservative administration. Alarmingly, the coalition agreement can be terminated by either party with just one month’s notice.
“This makes it inherently unstable and suggests the coalition was created in an atmosphere of mutual suspicion and distrust, without the best interests of residents in mind. This flimsy agreement is the result of secret talks and backroom deals conducted away from the public gaze.
“It doesn’t instil any confidence in the joint administration and is indicative of the inevitable squabbles that will hamper it over the coming weeks and months.” Cllr Young said: “The previous administration has left us with a legacy of rundown bus services and children’s services that require improvement and was falling behind on its own climate targets.
“We heard time and again on the doorstep that they were out of touch. We will have a different approach to doing things.
“We will work with local people to make our area better – involving them in identifying issues and coming up with solutions.
“The Tories had not delivered on their promises for South Gloucestershire which is why 58 per cent voted for either the Liberal Democrats or Labour. We took the time to put a proper agreement in place and build a good working relationship precisely so we can ensure a stable partnership which will work for everyone in South Gloucestershire.”
Read next:
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