Sheffield Green councillors pledge to “champion openness and transparency” in co-leadership role
Sheffield Green councillors have pledged to work to help run public services for all citizens and “champion openness and transparency”.
The Greens say that they got the best total vote in the May 7 election, where Reform UK also made major gains. Both parties took seats from Labour and the LibDems.
The Greens say that 47,886 people voted for them, making them the most popular party across the whole of Sheffield.
The new expanded group of 20 Green councillors will now take on more key committee roles after the LibDem group announced it would exit the council’s three-way administration ahead of yesterday’s annual meeting.
Greens will continue to work with the Labour group as the council remains under no overall control.
The LibDems, who retained five seats and lost six but remaining the second biggest group, said that their decision is based on opposition to green belt land being identified for housing and employment in the draft Sheffield Local Plan.
Ruling
They voted against the move last year, which resulted from a ruling by government planning inspectors on the draft plan, which will outline where all types of development can take place up to 2039.
Green councillors will now chair the following committees:
- Housing policy;
- Transport, regeneration and climate policy;
- Charity trustee sub-committee;
- Communities, parks and leisure policy;
- Adult health and social care policy.
They will also co-chair both the planning and licensing committees.
Labour councillors would then take the rest of the policy committee chairs, which are:
- Economic development, skills and culture;
- Education, children and families;
- Environmental services and regulation;
- Finance and performance.
As leader, Coun Belbin will chair the strategy and resources committee, which brings together all policy committee chairs to take key decisions. However, the full council is the ruling body.
Full council meetings are chaired by the Lord Mayor, who is now Coun Andrew Sangar following yesterday’s meeting.
Opposition
Although he is a LibDem and therefore in opposition, the Lord Mayor is always regarded as a neutral person because the city’s first citizen represents everyone during their year in office.
Green group leader Coun Angela Argenzio said: “Green Party councillors will take up places in the administration with Labour to make sure the city council is run in the best interests of everyone who lives in Sheffield.
“We have worked hard to negotiate a functioning leadership of the council so that people in Sheffield can receive the best public services we can provide.
“It is obviously disappointing that the LibDem group has chosen to join the Reform councillors in opposing the council’s actions after four years of a shared committee administration.
“We are prepared to work with the Labour group to ensure stability.
Balance
“We will continue to champion openness and transparency in council proceedings, benefitting from the committee system where councillors from all parties can have a say and a vote.
“We will face up to difficult decisions, doing our best to find a balance between different viewpoints.”
“We would like to thank the voters of Sheffield for their message of hope and having faith in us. Green councillors commit to listening to residents and acting in the best interests of the whole population of the city and the planet.”