Sheffield Green Party leadership team changes on city council
Sheffield Green Party councillors have changed their leadership team and deputy Angela Argenzio is taking over from current leader Dougas Johnson.
The party announced the move today (May 13) ahead of Sheffield City Council’s annual meeting on Monday (May 19). The new leadership team will take over following the meeting, the party said.
The meeting will see Coun Safiya Saeed take over from Coun Jayne Dunn as Lord Mayor and the selection of a new Deputy Lord Mayor. It will also appoint the council leader and deputy leader, roles currently held by Couns Tom Hunt and Fran Belbin.
Coun Argenzio was first elected to the Broomhill and Sharrow Vale ward in 2019 and is chair of the adult health and social care policy committee. She is well known for being supportive of cross-party working.
Originally from Italy, Coun Argenzio moved to Sheffield in 1996. She worked for 16 years as a secondary school teacher before moving to the voluntary sector in 2015. She currently works for City of Sanctuary Sheffield.
The Green group have also elected two deputy leaders, Coun Marieanne Elliot, who serves as group spokesperson on the communities, parks and leisure policy committee, and Coun Paul Turpin, who is spokesperson on the governance committee.
Honoured
Both are councillors in Gleadless Valley ward. Coun Turpin was first elected in 2019 and Coun Elliot was elected in 2022.
The Greens are the third biggest party on the council, which has no party in overall control.
Labour are the biggest group with 36 councillors and the LibDem group have 28 members.
Coun Argenzio said: “I am truly honoured to have been selected to represent the Green group of councillors and I am going to work hard to ensure that our green values are always represented in the cross-party administration.
“I also want to pay tribute to my colleague Douglas Johnson. Douglas and I have worked very closely for the past three years and he has been a huge support to me both personally and as a colleague: he is an incredibly generous person and is truly dedicated to serving the residents of Sheffield to create a more just and equal city.
“I am so pleased that he will continue to serve as chair of the housing committee.”
Coun Johnson said: “In six years as leader of the Green group, I have been immensely proud to support and nourish a fantastic bunch of councillors who have made a real difference to the lives of people in Sheffield.
Delighted
“When I was first elected in 2016, I was one of just four Green councillors in opposition to a single-party cabinet system with a leadership hell-bent on cutting down the city’s street trees.
“In May 2021, I negotiated the first cross-party administration of the council with the new Labour leader, paving the way for a new era of Green-influenced politics.
“Our group of 14 hard-working and thoughtful representatives will continue to play an important part in Sheffield’s politics, acting responsibly in the best interests of all the city’s residents.
“I am delighted my colleague, Coun Angela Argenzio, will now formally step into the role, continuing the leadership she has shown in the last three years. We both intend to remain as chairs of our respective policy committees.
“I am also pleased we will break new ground by having two deputy group leaders in Couns Marieanne Elliot and Paul Turpin.”