Tories stay put but Labour wants to lead council

TOP councillors are divided on who should run Kirklees Council after voters once again left the authority finely balanced.

And even though people cast their vote over a week ago, they will not learn who is to run the council until May 23 at the next full council meeting, when the decision will be thrashed out.

Labour moved into top spot after last week's elections, winning two seats from the Lib Dems to move up to 22 councillors on the 69-seat authority. But the Tories are keen to stay in the driving seat.

They dropped back to second place with 20 seats, while the Lib Dems have 18, the Greens four and the BNP three.

Labour leader Clr Mehboob Khan believes his party gains give it the right to rule.

"These elections showed strong public support for local Labour," he said. "In Kirklees we have yet again bucked the national trend and made superb gains.

"We are now the largest party with a democratic mandate from the people to run Kirklees Council.

"For the past seven years no single party has had a majority and the largest group has run the council. This arrangement should continue this year.

"I am listening to the views of all party leaders and when we are in control we shall consult widely before making decisions."

Clr Khan said his party wants to assume power at the next council meeting on May 23.

He said: "At that meeting we will put forward an administration that will be guided by our traditional values to make Kirklees a better place for all residents, create opportunities for the many and not the few, and listen to and act on residents' concerns."

But current council leader Clr Robert Light disagrees that Labour's election gains give them a right to rule.

The Conservative said: "Our view is that the results across the borough were broadly status quo."

And Clr Light revealed that his party wants to go on running Kirklees. He said: "We will propose to council that our Conservative cabinet continues in place. The party which gets the most votes at the meeting on May 23 has the right to form the next administration. It depends on the will of the council."

And Clr Light added that constant changes at the top would undermine Kirklees.

He said: "The council will lose its credibility if the administration changes every year."

Lib Dem leader Clr Kath Pinnock also thinks the election results do not give Labour the right to run Kirklees.

She said: "Labour have less than a third of the seats which is no mandate to run the council alone.

Clr Pinnock suggested a return to the system used between 2000 and 2002 when Labour, the Lib Dems, the Conservatives and the Greens all played a part in the administration.

She said: "There's a history of the four parties working together and we share some common values."

Clr Pinnock, who has been in talks with Labour, the Greens and the Conservatives, didn't rule out a single-party administration as long as other groups were consulted.

She said: "We could have a one-party cabinet, but only if the ruling group agreed to refer more decisions to all parties."

* Kirklees Conservatives have announced changes at the top following last week's election.

Holme Valley South councillor Ken Sims has stepped down as deputy leader after 10 years to be replaced by Clr Jim Dodds, of Denby Dale.

Clr Sims wished his successor well. He said: "I have decided to let someone else gain the experience of being the group's deputy and I think in Jim we have a very talented person."

And Clr Dodds paid tribute to his predecessor. He said: "I am delighted to take on this new role within the group and look forward to following in Ken's footsteps. He has been an excellent deputy leader and will be a tough act to follow."

Also at the Conservative's AGM on Tuesday, Kirkburton councillor Christine Smith became the group's new business manager.