Labour and Lib Dems announce deal to lead council

Labour has announced a deal to lead Rugby Borough Council as a minority administration with the support of the Liberal Democrats.

No party won enough seats to take full control of the authority in May's local elections.

The Conservatives lost three seats but remained the largest party with 17 councillors to Labour's 15.

With 10 seats, the Lib Dems held the balance of power and have held talks with both of the main parties.

In a joint announcement on Tuesday, Labour and the Lib Dems said they were committed to "a progressive confidence and supply agreement".

"Confidence and supply" is an arrangement between two or more parties to support each other in votes on certain issues.

A meeting will be held next week to debate and vote on a motion that will propose the Labour group leads the council and forms a cabinet.

If the vote is passed, it will be the first time the Labour group has led the authority in more than two decades.

The Conservatives have either led or controlled the council for the past 20 years.

The leader of the Labour group Michael Moran said he was "excited by the opportunity to take forward our vision for a better, greener and fairer borough".

He added it was "humbling" to have secured the trust of the Lib Dems.

"I am personally committed to ensuring we continue to work together in a respectful partnership to help the residents and businesses in Rugby and the villages to thrive," Mr Moran said.

The group leader of Rugby Liberal Democrats, Jerry Roodhouse, said following the elections his party would "work in a progressive way for the good of Rugby residents".

"Change is needed now," he said.

"More than ever our town needs regenerating; the council needs a customer charter of standards; we need to adapt for our changing climate plus much more."

The Conservative group said it had sought to form a full coalition with Liberal Democrats, to deliver on ambitious plans to regenerate the town centre, among other things.

But the party said the Liberal Democrats “are set to back a minority administration - despite Labour failing to make significant gains in May”.

The Conservative group said it would “use our powerful collective voice to hold the new Labour-Liberal Democrat administration to account”.

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