A political row broke out as the new Lib-Lab leaders of South Gloucestershire Council were formally appointed. Lib Dem Cllr Claire Young and Labour Cllr Ian Boulton were voted in as the authority’s leader and co-leader respectively, promising to “create a different type of council that works with local people to make South Gloucestershire a better place for everyone”, at a meeting of full council on Wednesday night (May 24).
But Cllr Sam Bromiley, the new leader of the opposition Conservatives who lost their overall majority at the local elections earlier this month after eight years in control, said it was a “coalition destined to fail”. He criticised “secret, backroom deals” between the two parties and the fact the public had still not seen their partnership agreement.
Cllr Young said: “I am delighted to take on the role of council leader and to have the opportunity to put forward a new vision for South Gloucestershire to help improve the lives of local people. People voted for change in May following eight years of Conservative majority rule, and the Liberal Democrats and Labour groups have agreed to work in partnership to deliver that change.
Read more: Lib Dems and Labour agree coalition to run South Gloucestershire Council
“We are determined to create a different type of council that works with local people to make South Gloucestershire a better place for everyone. That means getting people involved early in the process to come up with solutions to problems together, it means reviewing how the council makes decisions to do it in a more open and inclusive way with greater public participation and it means more local decision making, introducing area committees where ward members can make decisions on local issues and work with partners including town and parish councils, emergency services and others to improve the local area.”
She said the policy-making cabinet would include a new role dedicated to the climate and nature emergency and another focused on helping residents with the cost-of-living crisis. “We will also be focusing on improving the lives of children and families, working with schools to address education inequalities and promoting age-friendly communities,” Cllr Young said.
“We will be developing a new local plan to protect South Gloucestershire from prospective development, tackle fleecehold arrangements and make sure the right infrastructure is put in place so we build communities, not just houses. We will work with health partners to improve the range of health services across the area and work with the West of England Combined Authority to identify improvements to bus services and the wider travel and transport network.”
Cllr Bromiley said the Tories’ offer of talks with the Lib Dems and Labour was “met by silence or refusal” and that the new coalition was “determined to shut out the views of 36 per cent” of residents who voted for the Conservatives, who remain the largest party with 23 councillors, compared with 20 Lib Dems and 17 Labour members. He said: “There are so many unknowns to what the two groups have agreed that residents are left in the dark as to what will happen in the next four years.
“This is an agreement that neither we nor the public have seen. This is a coalition which is destined to fail.”
Cllr Bromiley said residents should not foot the bill for a proposed pay allowance for the “fabricated” new role of co-leader which he claimed was a concession to Labour for the Lib Dems to “grab hold of power”. “This is simply the deputy leader role with a new made-up title to appease the Labour group,” he said.
Council co-leader Cllr Boulton said the Conservatives’ comments were “obviously saddening” and that residents voted for change because many were upset that the former Tory administration “imposed” schemes on them without listening to their views. That is a lesson for this new administration to actively engage and listen to our residents,” he said.
“I’m surprised that the job title of co-leader has come up so much. I don’t know where that came from, to be honest – I will answer to anything I’m called.
“I’m obviously not as fussed about it as you are.” He said there was “no great secret or controversy” in the partnership agreement which would be published soon.
Read next:
Still no leader of South Gloucestershire Council two weeks after election
New voter ID rules saw 58 South Gloucestershire voters turned away at polls
Local election results amid 'desperately sad' night for the Tories
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