Blow for would-be city mayor as Labour tightens grip on council

Liberal Democrats were left nursing their wounds as they lost five seats in yesterday’s local election in Leeds, in which Labour cemented its grip on power with a seven-seat gain.

Lib Dem Councillor Brenda Lancaster, who had been due to take over as Lord Mayor of Leeds this month, was among the casualties after losing her seat in Moortown to Labour’s Rebecca Charlwood.

Labour had had control of the council with the support of the Green Party who backed them in key votes but yesterday’s victory clinched outright control for the party.

Labour swept seats away from the Lib Dems in Burmantofts and Richmond Hill, Headingley, Moortown and Rothwell.

They also enjoyed gains from Morley Borough Independents in Morley South and from the Tories in Roundhay and Temple Newsam.

The Lib Dems lost a further seat in Horsforth to the Conservatives.

Leeds Council Leader Councillor Keith Wakefield said: “I am absolutely delighted with these results. This sends a clear message to the Coalition government that their unprecedented funding cuts have gone too far too fast.

“Leeds is not ready to see the wholesale privatisation of frontline services, nor does this city want to see our NHS undermined and under threat.”

Labour may have been celebrating last night but they will still have to face the challenge of finding a further £47m of savings.

Councillor Wakefield said: “Like many northern cities, last year Leeds received one of the worst Government funding settlements in the country. We had to find savings of £90m and will need to find another £47m this year.

“The scale of that financial challenge means that services will have to change. However, this Labour administration remains committed to doing all we can to protect frontline services, prioritise community safety and promote jobs and skills.

“As we have done this year, we will continue to listen to local people in order to make sure we work in the best interests of our residents.

“Leeds is a great city and I am determined that by continuing to work hard with both local people and our wider partners we can secure a brighter future, particularly for our young people.”

Coun Wakefield pledged not to abuse the clear majority which the party now enjoys on Leeds Council.

“I promise to work with as many people, with the voluntary sector, the private sector, to make sure we do everything to protect frontline services to the elderly and young and particularly on jobs where, in some wards, we have nearly 20 per cent of young people unemployed or not in education or training,” he added.

The new council now consists of 55 Labour seats, 21 Conservative seats, 16 Lib Dem seats, five Morley Borough Independents seats and two seats held by the Green Party.

The Tories and Morley Borough Independents are both down by one seat and the Greens have retained the same presence on the council.

As Liberal Democrats across the country were forced to come to terms with a humiliating defeat, their colleagues in Leeds insisted they still have a future in the city.

Councillor Stewart Golton, leader of Leeds Council’s Liberal Democrats, said the result was one dominated by the national scene.

He said: “The Labour party has been very effective at getting their core supporters to vote and to present themselves as the protest party against the spending cuts that the coalition government is having to implement.

“Traditionally the Lib Dems have enjoyed that protest vote and now we have become subject to it.

“It was inevitable that the Labour party would consolidate their position in Leeds given that the Lib Dems and Conservatives are in power nationally. What we did not anticipate is that they would do so so convincingly.

“However it is not inevitable that this level of protest will repeat itself next year and I hope that we can return to an environment where local elections are the result of local debate.”

He also expressed sadness for his colleagues who lost their seats on Leeds Council.