I can make it work, vows new Green council leader

The new Green leader of Worcestershire County Council has vowed to make a power-sharing deal work, urging the national Conservative Party to stay out of it.

Reform have lost minority control of the authority after a dramatic deal was hatched between Conservative, Green, Lib Dem and independent councillors for a new coalition.

However, the deal ran into trouble on Thursday when national Tory Party bosses suspended its county group leader, saying it did not approve of the arrangement.

"[But] Tory HQ should just stay out of it," councillor Matt Jenkins, the new Green leader, said.

Conservative councillors have been instructed by their central office not to vote with the new administration, despite the fact they currently have four cabinet seats.

Jenkins said: "Hopefully we can make this work and have a coalition of like-minded people who can sort out the mess this council is in.

"This has thrown a bit of a curveball, but we would say that Tory HQ should just keep out of this, this is a local matter and we are trying to do the best for residents.

"I'm sure we will sort it out and I'll be working with everyone in the cabinet to try and do that."

Councillor Adam Kent, who was suspended for helping arrange the deal, told the BBC he was unable to comment on the situation.

He is understood to be disputing the national party's version of events, which said "we did not approve of the arrangement" and "it did not have our support".

A spokesperson said: "The Conservative group leader did not make our opposition clear to his fellow Worcestershire councillors, and has been suspended pending investigation.

"Conservative Campaign Headquarters has made clear to our councillors that this arrangement must not go ahead."

A Worcestershire Tory group meeting will take place later, to enable councillors to discuss the situation - as it stands four cabinet members in the new administration are Conservative.

The leader of the opposition Reform group has called the power sharing deal "tawdry" and accused the Conservatives of being "in crisis".

Councillor Alan Amos said: "For the first time in this country we have a Conservative Party voting to put in a coalition of Greens and Lib Dems, left wing loonies.

"And the Tories have voted to put them in power - it's absolutely extraordinary."

Reform had controlled the council for the last 12 months until the crucial leadership vote.

Independent councillor David Taylor agreed that politicians in Westminster should leave the county's political situation alone.

"When parties try and work together, I see that as a positive - but of course time will tell," he said.

"I don't think national parties should get involved at a local level, without trying to understand the situation - Worcestershire has been in turmoil for years."

Taylor also said he expected his new cohort - the Worcestershire Independent Group - to grow.

"There are four of us in our new group now, and there could be five in the coming weeks," he added.

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