The Greens will lead Bristol City Council in “coalition” with the Lib Dems

The Greens will run Bristol City Council in effective partnership with the Lib Dems after their historic local election win, it has been confirmed. Southville ward Cllr Tony Dyer will be the authority’s first ever party leader, with fellow Green Cllr Heather Mack as deputy.

The group, which became the largest in the House with 34 members after winning 10 at the polls on May 2 – just two shy of an overall majority – will chair six of the eight new policy committees created by the passage of at the City Hall. the model of the last 12 years. The Lib Dems will hold the other two, while all parties will hold vice-chairman positions.

Labor says the announcement on Wednesday 15 May confirms what they said five days ago – that there would be a Green/Lib Dem coalition that was struck in a “backroom deal”. The Greens, however, say the new committee system has no formal administration or opposition because it is designed so that all parties work together.

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The group also says Labor has refused to accept the two policy committee chair roles it was entitled to based on the number of councilors each party now has. The new leaders and key positions will be formally agreed at the annual full council meeting on Tuesday 21 May and comes after lengthy discussions between the groups over the past two weeks.

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Cllr Dyer said: “I am humbled to have been elected as Bristol’s first green council leader and I will do all I can to help tackle the challenges facing Bristol. By working with others and the communities we serve, we can deliver on our promises and put social and environmental justice at the heart of all decisions over the next four years.

“Our manifesto promises hope and action in key areas that matter most to the city, such as housing and transport. Turning that hope into action begins now.” Cllr Emma Edwards, who will remain leader of the Greens group, a separate role from that of council leader under the authority’s constitution, said: “I am delighted to have reached an agreement on how the city will be run for the next four. years.

“The council will be led by the Greens and will involve representatives from all parties, with the aim of making the best possible decisions for the people of Bristol. The beginning of the committee system, voted by the people of Bristol, marks a new era for politics in this city.

“This Greens group, the largest ever, is committed to a positive, progressive, transparent and inclusive council, and the people of Bristol clearly feel the same way. We will work tirelessly to uphold these values.” Labor says that while it is not part of the administration, it will take all its seats on policy committees and is “engaging with the administration on shared priorities”.

Group leader Cllr Tom Renhard said: “We have always been clear that, as the largest party, the Green Party has the mandate to lead Bristol City Council. As they fell short of an overall majority, they offered leadership positions to the Liberal Democrats in a backroom deal.

“While the Green Party/Liberal Democrat coalition will form the administration in Bristol, Labor will be critical friends of their administration. We will evaluate their policies on a case-by-case basis, supporting and strengthening those that are for the good of our city.

“The Green Party and Liberal Democrats have offered so much criticism but rarely offered solutions to the challenges facing Bristol. Now it’s up to them to take the reins and meet our city’s challenges and opportunities.

“We welcome Cllr Dyer’s commitment to delivering manifesto commitments from other parties and will continue to argue for the progressive policy platform Bristol needs, such as over 3,000 new council homes, a public transport overhaul and investment in parks and our green spaces. Labor councilors will serve as vice-chairs of a number of policy committees, a role that functions as the primary oversight member.

“We will hold the administration accountable, improve their policy proposals and keep committees on track. We will also chair a number of regulatory committees, including a development control committee – a role the Green Party has tried to block – as well as the audit, human resources and licensing regulatory committees.

“We have a fantastic cohort of hardworking and dedicated advisors and look forward to announcing our full leadership team in due course.” The Greens will chair the transport and connectivity, housing and housing delivery, social care for adults, children and young people, as well as environment and sustainability committees.

As leader of the council, Cllr Dyer will be at the helm of the resource strategy and policy committee. The Lib Dems will chair the economy and skills and public health and communities committees.

Under the council’s proportionality rules, Conservatives are not eligible for any political chair positions. Labor holds 21 of the 70 seats in the chamber after losing two at the polls.

The Lib Dems gained three, taking them to eight, while the Tories saw their 14 members halved to seven. Both the Knowle Community Party seats and the two independents were taken by the main parties.