City council leaderless after vote against nominee

Cambridge City Council has failed to elect a leader after hours of negotiations between three political parties.

Labour had controlled the city for over a decade but after this month's local elections, no party had a majority.

Labour remained the largest party with 17 seats and its group leader Katie Thornburrow was the only person nominated for the position of council leader.

However, opposition councillors voted against her, meaning the council cannot carry out any of its normal decision-making processes.

The council's head of legal services told the meeting a leader must be in place by 2 June. Another meeting has been arranged for 1 June.

The make-up of seats on the council is now:

• Labour: 17
• Green Party: 12
• Liberal Democrats: 11
• Conservative: one
• Your Party: one

The council runs a leader and cabinet system of governance. The leader selects cabinet members who oversee decision making in different departments, such as planning, housing and culture.

During a debate after two failed votes, Tim Bick, who leads the Liberal Democrats, alluded to disagreements about who should have those positions.

"We need to get that squared," he said.

He said he wanted to see a progressive alliance of the three parties to keep the council running.

In response, Thornburrow said: "[We have] not said we would work with you in that way."

She also challenged the Greens and the Liberal Democrats to put forward their own candidates.

The city's mayor for the next year – its first ever from the Green Party – was elected at the same meeting.

Maria Cleminson was elected as a councillor for the first time on 7 May, representing Abbey ward.

During her acceptance speech, she said she was "hugely honoured" and hoped to be "fair and approachable".

The role is mostly ceremonial, with duties such as representing the council at events.

However, the mayor also chairs council meetings and has a casting vote in any tied decisions.

The deputy mayor is Amanda Taylor, who was elected as Liberal Democrat councillor for Queen Edith's ward.

She previously served as a city councillor between 1994 and 2012 and has also served as a county councillor.

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