LABOUR will be calling for a fresh vote on who should be the leader of the city council following last week’s election results pushing the authority into no overall control.
The party’s new leader Cllr Lynn Denham will use next week’s annual city council meeting to call for a change into how the leader and deputy leader are selected.
The motion calls for the whole council to vote on who will take on the council’s two top jobs instead of the positions being chosen from the council’s largest party.
No party currently has a majority in the Guildhall following last Thursday’s election with the Conservatives losing three councillors, the Greens gaining two and Labour gaining one with the Tories left with 15 councillors, Labour on 12, the Greens on six and the Lib Dems on two.
READ MORE: Conservatives lose control of Worcester City Council
Labour’s new leader Cllr Denham and deputy leader Cllr Jabba Riaz held talks with the council’s Green leaders following last week’s election over forming an alliance but the party said the offer was rejected.
The city’s Green councillors have instead called for all four parties to work together in a “collaborative council” jointly led by Labour and the Conservatives – the council’s current two biggest parties.
READ MORE: Greens call for parties to work together with Labour and Tories running council
Recent changes to the council’s constitution mean the leader and deputy leader of the city council are currently appointed from the council’s biggest party, which is still the Conservatives despite last week’s losses.
This means Cllr Marc Bayliss and Cllr Chris Mitchell could stay as leader and deputy leader if Labour’s plans are not backed and the constitution remains unchanged.
Without a majority, Labour would need the backing of some of the council’s Greens and Lib Dems, or even Conservatives, to ensure the changes are voted through.
Cllr Denham’s motion will also call for all four parties to share the chair and vice chair roles of committees with positions handed out based on the political balance of the council.
Each party would also be given the chance to nominate a mayor.
READ MORE: Change at the top as Worcester's Labour leader steps down
Traditionally, the city’s deputy mayor serves as mayor in the following year which means Cllr Adrian Gregson, who stepped down as leader of the council’s Labour group after 21 years at the weekend, should serve as mayor for the next 12 months.
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