COLCHESTER Council’s ruling coalition looks set to have maintained its grip on power after a dramatic election night. The Lib Dem and Labour alliance went into Thursday’s poll holding 24 seats between them. After the results were counted they hold 23. However, with the Conservative opposition failing to make up ground or take seats from other parties, the progressive alliance looks like it will survive at least another year. Leader of the council Mark Cory (Lib Dem) said: “We will start talking with other parties about how we work together going forward. “I personally could not work with the Conservative Party because I do not believe our values align but I believe the other parties could work together.”
AS we approach May s election, control of Colchester Council is teetering on a knife-edge. The town hall is controlled by a coalition of Labour and the Lib Dems, who together hold 24 seats. There are 51 seats in the borough, meaning the coalition is technically a minority administration. The Highwoods Independents were part of what was then called the rainbow alliance , but 18 months ago they packed their bags. Support is now on a vote by vote basis, meaning there are some crunch votes on contentious issues. The Conservative Group are the largest group on the council, holding 21 seats. In May they need to secure an additional five, as well as hold all of their existing ones, to hold an overall majority.
So what are the potential scenarios? Firstly, because of election by thirds, the likelihood of largescale change is small, so the most likely outcome is for small change. However, due to the current political make up, a swing of just five seats could make all the difference. This time not all incumbent councillors are standing with Liberal Democrat Thersea Higgins and Conservatives Christopher Arnold, Fiona Maclean and John Elliot not contesting their seats. Deputy leader Julie Young will be hoping to hold onto her Greenstead seat for Labour while the council’s waste boss and Lib Dem group leader Martin Goss will hope to do the same with his Mile End seat.