Labour in Dudley look set to have a big say in borough business despite being reduced to third largest party on the council.
Political Negotiations After Local Elections
Following May's local elections when Reform UK overtook Labour as the largest opposition group, negotiations have been under way to determine which parties get seats at the top tables in the corridors of power. Appointments will be finalised at a meeting of the authority on May 28, but the latest proposals show the leadership of the council will remain with the Conservative Party, which has 27 councillors. Labour, with 15 councillors, will take seven chairperson roles on vital scrutiny committees, including core business, audit, and children and young people.
Reform UK's Limited Role
Under the latest proposals, Reform, with 23 councillors, gets one committee seat as vice-chair of the Children's Corporate Parenting Board. Labour's leader, Cllr Shaukat Ali, denies forcing the Tories to hand out the chairperson roles by threatening to support Reform and undermine the Tories.
Cllr Ali said: "There were no threats of any sort or any form, we've had conversations on a number of occasions and this is what we have reached. There is no formal arrangement or agreement, we will hold both the administration and Reform to account. We want to hold the administration to account whether it is through the chamber or through committees, we want to be able to do that and scrutinise any policies or reports that are coming before the council."
Committee Chairperson Allocations
There are 14 council committees where chairperson and vice-chair roles need to be agreed by full council. A combination of Labour and Conservative votes would be enough to secure the deal as long as back-benchers do not rebel against their leaders. Under the proposal, circulated on May 18, The Black Country Party would take the chair on the Licensing and Safety Committee, while the Conservatives would hold six chairs, including housing and assets and planning. The Liberal Democrats, who supported the Conservative budget to ensure it was adopted for the last two years, are rewarded for their support with no committee positions in the plan.
