Sheffield Green leader hits out at rebel Labour councillors and party following resignations

He criticised the councillors’ stance opposing a proposed traveller site but said they have been “treated shamefully by their own party, as it moves ever closer to a brutal and centrally-controlled organisation”.

Ex-council leader Terry Fox, his wife Denise Fox, ex-deputy leader Julie Grocutt, Tony Damms, Dianne Hurst, former finance committee chair Bryan Lodge and Garry Weatherall have announced their resignations from the party.

They had been suspended from the Labour whip in September after voting to oppose the draft Local Plan, which determines citywide planning policy, because of their opposition to the inclusion of a travellers’ site for travelling showpeople on Eckington Way, near Crystal Peaks. They say that the opposition of many people in the south-east of the city to the site has been ignored by the council.

Coun Fox was forced out as Labour and council leader in May when the central party stepped in to put the local party in special measures and bring in a campaign improvement board for the elections. The public response to issues such as Lowcock Report into the tree-felling scandal and Fargate container park fiasco were believed to have caused concern over the elections.

Coun Grocutt stepped back as deputy leader shortly after Coun Fox went.

Coun Lodge resigned in March from the Labour front bench, although he cited a “very difficult budget setting process” as chair of the council’s finance committee rather than his central role in pushing through the highly controversial tree-felling policy. He said then that he will retire from the council next May.

Green leader Coun Douglas Johnson said in a statement: “We have been calling for many of these councillors to resign for many years, not least for their responsibility for felling Sheffield’s street trees and the authoritarian “Strong Leader” culture.

“I also expressed my disappointment that they chose to campaign against a Gypsy and traveller site as the focus for their internal battle. This would have put the whole Sheffield Local Plan at risk, allowing property developers to get away with sub-standard planning applications and risking green space across the city.

“Sheffield Greens are clear that we stand up against discrimination towards minority groups.

Read this: New homes set to go ahead despite objections

“All the same, this group of former Labour Party councillors have been treated shamefully by their own party, as it moves ever closer to a brutal and centrally-controlled organisation. They have collectively served their party for a long time and I understand their decision to leave the Labour Party.

“The Labour Party under Keir Starmer is looking to make a general election less and less relevant by mimicking everything done by the Conservative Party.”

Labour and council leader Coun Tom Hunt issued a short statement this morning, saying that he is focused on “delivering an ambitious vision for the city”, adding: “It is disappointing that these former members don’t want to support this.”

Read this: Park cafe restoration partnership hopes

The departing Labour councillors’ statement said: “It became apparent that differences of opinion and approach existed within the Sheffield Labour Party following the suspension of democracy at the time of the May local elections.

“Despite offers to meet collectively to attempt to resolve these differences, which were ignored, we remained loyal until September full council and the issues arising from the Local Plan.

“Despite assurances arising from the Lowcock Report that the council would engage in meaningful consultation with citizens, the residents of the South East were not listened to.

“As a result we will sit as a group of Independent councillors, to serve our constituents within our respective wards to ensure that their voices are heard.”