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Greens back SNP to form Glasgow council administration

PA Media SNP at Glasgow countPA Media
The SNP won 37 seats on Glasgow City Council in the election on 5 May

Glasgow City Council is to be led by an SNP minority administration after the party agreed a deal with the Greens.

The agreement for Scotland's largest council reflects the parties' partnership in Holyrood.

The SNP lost two seats in the local elections, leaving the party with 37 - one seat more than Scottish Labour.

An SNP spokesman said the "working agreement" with the Scottish Greens, who won 10 seats, was "not binding" on votes beyond the first council meeting.

The SNP and Green groups on the city council have worked closely on some issues in recent years, including joint budgets.

The SNP became the largest party on the city council in 2017, after removing Scottish Labour from their dominant position after nearly four decades.

However, with no overall majority after the election earlier this month, the SNP has sought support from their allies in Holyrood.

Councillors from both parties will be asked to vote to support the formation of a minority SNP council administration at the first full council meeting since the election on Thursday.

Elections for key roles within the council, including leader and lord provost, will also be held at the meeting.

SNP group leader Susan Aitken said: "In a time of great uncertainty, this agreement between the SNP and Greens can help provide the confident and responsible leadership this city and its people require.

"This is about doing politics and governance differently.

"It's clear that the SNP and Greens have much common ground and have agreed in recent years on how best to meet major challenges affecting Glaswegians."

PA Media Scottish Greens at Glasgow countPA Media
The Scottish Greens increased their representation on the council with 10 seats

Green councillors will take up a number of key positions on the council, including the chair of a new net zero and climate progress monitoring committee.

They will also chair the neighbourhoods, housing and public realm committee and take vice-chair on the education, skills and early years committee.

Martha Wardrop, Glasgow's Green co-convenor, said: "With our largest ever group of Green councillors, we will hold a minority SNP administration to account while working collaboratively across party lines to deliver a fairer, greener and more inclusive Glasgow and to bring about the change that people voted for."

The council's Strategic Plan for 2022 to 2027 will be designed to include aligned SNP and Green manifesto commitments, and "additional commitments" from each group.

A statement from the SNP said: "Both groups will continue to exist and meet as distinctive and separate parties with their own internal procedures and appointments, and the agreement is not binding on any votes beyond the first council meeting."