Fresh start for Banbury politics will not happen as Labour says 'no' to coalition with Greens and Lib Dems

Results of the Cherwell elections a fortnight ago resulted in loss of overall administration for the Conservative Party. The three opposition parties and Independents could have formed an alliance to take control but Labour has refused this option saying they were ‘unable to form a stable alternative administration’.

Other opposition parties said Labour taken this course because they did not want a Green Party councillor on the executive.

Sean Woodcock, leader of the Cherwell Labour group which increased its tally of councillors to 12, said: “The local election results in Cherwell demonstrated that people are fed up of the Conservative Party; in government and at the council.

"Unfortunately, after weeks of serious negotiation with other parties, we have taken the difficult decision that we are unable to form a stable, alternative administration.

“We will continue to hold whatever administration does form to account with our increased representation on the district council and a clear mandate to speak up for the people of Banbury.”The Progressive Oxfordshire group of Liberal Democrats, Greens and one Independent said they are ‘deeply disappointed’.

"After several days of serious efforts to form a new administration on Cherwell, the Labour party have indicated they are unable to work with us to bring change to the district after years of Conservative rule,” the group said in a statement.

"We were eager to provide the fresh start that residents were hoping for and were willing to work with Labour to achieve this but were told by the Labour group they were not able to work in an administration which contained a Green executive member.

“As we were making good progress on reaching cross-party agreement on issues of importance to Cherwell residents, this outcome came as a surprise. Needless to say, we are extremely saddened and are especially dismayed for our fellow residents of Cherwell who expressed a clear call for change in the recent elections.”

David Hingley, Liberal Democrat Leader of the Progressive Oxfordshire group, said: "After days of talks, I received a communication this morning from the Labour group informing me they were not willing to form an administration with all the parties in our group.

"With the council in no overall control, we believe residents want to see grown-up politics and for parties to work together and my group and I were prepared to give our all to make a new administration bear fruit.

“Sadly, this means the change that Cherwell residents so clearly voted for in the recent elections will not now take place at tomorrow’s annual council meeting, despite the tireless efforts of all members of my group, new and existing councillors alike. With the best will in the world, my group simply does not – for now – have the numbers to provide an enduring administration on our own.

“It is of particular concern that this could leave the Conservatives taking decisions over the district’s new Local Plan, when so many people voted for change and for an approach to planning that listened more carefully to local communities. We will continue to scrutinise the progress of this plan for development to 2040.

“We will very much continue to work hard on behalf of residents and look forward to holding whatever administration does now form to account. It is now abundantly clear that the only way to secure real change at Cherwell is through parties that are committed to bringing that change about, like the Liberal Democrats.”

Ian Middleton, Green Leader and Deputy Leader of the Progressive Oxfordshire group said: “We are bitterly disappointed that after a huge amount of work, negotiation and compromise between our parties, Labour have decided to pull the plug on a controlling alliance at the eleventh hour.

"During the election we all made a pledge to local residents that we would do whatever it takes to remove Conservative control in Cherwell, as has happened on all other district councils across the county.

“We believe that voters gave all opposition parties a mandate to do this with some spectacular results in the local elections.

"I’m therefore at a loss to understand why Labour, who would have had a significant role in a controlling alliance, seem content to allow the Conservatives to form a chaotic minority administration, when an alliance may have better served the people who voted for us.”

There were 16 seats up for election in the May local elections. The Conservatives lost six, leaving them with 20 councillors on Cherwell. Labour added to its tally resulting in a total of 12 councillors on the council while the Lib Dems added four, bringing their total on Cherwell to 10. The Green Party added once councillor to make a total of three. One Independent was elected bringing the total of Independents on the district council to three.

In a statement to the Banbury Guardian following the elections Cllr Barry Wood, leader of the Conservatives on Cherwell District Council, predicted the opposition parties would fall out.

He said: “I anticipate they will fall out with each other anyway on the big issues like the local plan. Labour are in favour of building more homes whilst the Liberals are against.”

He described the mix of councillors as a ‘mish mash of parties’ which had a very slender majority which could ‘easily swing back our way in 12 months time’.