Sheffield Council parties in talks on power sharing as beleaguered Labour team tries to focus on priorities

By Julia Armstrong, Local Democracy Reporter
Published 15th May 2023, 15:06 BST
Updated 15th May 2023, 15:06 BST
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Sheffield Labour has been in talks with other political parties about potential power-sharing at Sheffield City Council, which remains under no overall control following the May 4 elections.

The parties are having discussions ahead of the council’s annual meeting on Wednesday (May 17), when the new council leader and deputy leader plus policy committee chairs will be decided.

Labour has not yet announced the election of its new council group leadership after Coun Terry Fox was forced to resign in the wake of the street tree-felling scandal and said he will not stand for re-election. Deputy council leader Coun Julie Grocutt also stepped down.

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The party put Sheffield Labour into special measures and imposed a campaign improvement board, which only came to light publicly on Friday, May 5, the day of the election count. It is understood that Labour councillors will be voting for their leadership and key posts but the process will be carefully managed by the regional party.

Labour’s national high command forced out leader Terry Fox and put the local party into ‘special measures’.Labour’s national high command forced out leader Terry Fox and put the local party into ‘special measures’.
Labour’s national high command forced out leader Terry Fox and put the local party into ‘special measures’.

Labour is still the biggest political group on the council with 39 seats out of 84 in total. The LibDems have 29 councillors and Greens have 14 and there is also one Conservative and one independent. Labour lost Hillsborough to the Greens on May 4 and gained Nether Edge and Sharrow from that party.

Anger at Labour’s handling of the street trees scandal came to the fore in the council chamber last week, when the hard-hitting Lowcock Report was discussed. Other divisive issues include Fargate Container Park, the clean air zone and red line proposals on Abbeydale and Ecclesall Roads.

Overhaul

A spokeswoman said that the Labour group has put transport, housing and devolution of power to local communities at the forefront of its talks with the Liberal Democrat and Green parties.