WORCESTER'S Green Party chairman is pushing for a shock Tory-Labour led Coalition to run the city council - urging them to strike a "50-50" Rainbow-style power sharing deal.

Louis Stephen has penned an open letter to both rival parties, which we can exclusively reveal today, asking both sides to end their animosity and strike an historic agreement among all three camps.

We can reveal how Councillor Stephen has also emphatically ruled out backing either side ahead of this Tuesday's vote, saying he will "not do a Coalition deal with any single party".

It means he has scorched any hopes of a Labour-Green led council, a move some may see as a surprise.

If agreed it would almost certainly see Councillor Marc Bayliss remain leader at the Guildhall

Councillor Stephen, the Green Party's figurehead, says as the Conservatives and Labour are the largest parties he wants them to split the cabinet equally and divide up the power.

He could also join the cabinet himself, creating Worcester's first ever Tory-Labour-Green deal, or help prop up a genuine joint blue-red Coalition as long as it pursues specific Green policies.

In his letter, he has also made a plea for them to even consider a power sharing "three-month trial" in a bid to reach a deal.

We can also reveal how the dramatic suggestion has been received positively by Councillor Marc Bayliss, the council's Conservative leader, who has made an offer to replace some of his cabinet with Labour members and include a Green in it to make the unusual arrangement work.

The shock twist, which developed yesterday, means the ball is now effectively in Labour's court as to whether it will go further.

Worcester Labour Party is due to hold private talks today, with its group leader Councillor Adrian Gregson still refusing to make any comment on where he stands.

Councillor Stephen said: "Council meetings have become quite bitter and argumentative, with too much political point scoring.

"We need to change that culture, treat each other with respect, and work together for the people of Worcester."

He says he has been in contact with both major parties "most days" since last week's dramatic elections - and has decided to reveal his open letter now so the voting public can see where he stands.

He says he would be prepared to sit inside a three-party cabinet, but the end deal must include a majority of equally split Conservative and Labour politicians in order for him to agree to it.

In his letter, he urges both main party leaders to ignore "hardcore activists on both sides" who may be pressurising them to not strike a deal.

He also issues a rallying call over a "new style of local government" with all three working together formally.

Such a deal would be unprecedented for Worcester, although Councillor Bayliss says he now sees it as a solution, alowing him to stay on as leader with all three parties involved. 

"I won't pretend this is something I wanted, but the election results mean none of us have a God given right to govern," he said.

"I'm offering a genuine, 50-50 power sharing cabinet with exactly the same number of seats - it wouldn't be a Conservative council, a Labour council or a Green one.

"I think it's important the Greens are on board too, so if I did this it'd be a multi-party cabinet."

He said he felt all the parties now had "a duty to find a stable solution" despite the difficulties.

Yesterday, Councillor Gregson said "nothing is ruled in or out" but refused to discuss his thoughts ahead of his group meeting today.

Some activists are already known to be horrified at the idea. 

Last week's elections left Worcester City Council with 17 Conservative politicians, 16 Labour and two Greens ahead of the voting in of a new administration on Tuesday.

THE OPEN LETTER IN FULL

Dear Adrian (Gregson) and Marc (Bayliss),

As you know the Conservatives are the largest party with 17 councillors, Labour has 16, the Greens two.

The total number of votes in the local elections that elected those 35 councillors is Conservative 46 per cent, Labour 39 per cent, Green 15 per cent.

It's plain that there is no overall majority for any single party.

Yes, it's probably true that the Green Party have more common policies with Labour, but we on a point of principle want to see all of Worcester having a stake in this council.

Looking ahead to the coming year it's really important we have a consensus driven council, that does not flip from one side to the other.

Hardcore activists from both sides will no doubt be pushing their leadership, to not enter a power sharing arrangement.

I'm asking you both to reach out and talk to your members to build a consensus of support for a new style of local government.

We'll not always agree with each other, but to make this work let's put all the past animosities aside and treat each other with respect.

I urge you both to consider an all-party power sharing arrangement, at the very least for a three-month trial. 

I went on-record before the elections saying that I would not do a Coalition deal with any single party - I assure you I have every intention of honouring my word.

Louis Stephen

Worcester Green Party chair