Labour to vote for Green leader but rules out Forest of Dean coalition

The Labour Party will vote for a Green Party to lead the Forest of Dean District Council next week but have ruled out a formal coalition with them.

The Green Party had their best ever election results in the Forest earlier this month and returned 15 councillors.

They had previously said their intention would be to form a “traffic light alliance” with Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

Labour leaders have confirmed they will vote for a Green councillor to be the next leader at Coleford but have ruled out entering a formal agreement with them.

Labour’s deputy group leader Di Martin (L, Cinderford East) said: “We are not going into coalition with the administration which is being bandied about.

“We will vote for the leader but we are not making any formal arrangements. We will vote on each proposal that comes forward. Confidence and supply, it’s called.

“I’m not saying there aren’t others who are going on the cabinet but we are not. We are not entering any formal arrangements.

“People are telling the world we are entering an administration with the Greens but that is factually incorrect.

“It will depend on confidence and supply. At the moment, the only thing we will do is vote for a Green leader.

“Of the democratically elected councillors, there’s 15 of them. They haven’t got overall control and that limits what gets through council. That’s a positive because there will be more cross party working on the council.”

The current political balance of the council is Green Party 15, Independents 11, Labour Party five, Conservative Party four and there are three Liberal Democrats.