Controversial Sheffield Local Plan could be hit by Labour-Green Zionism row

Council leader Coun Fran Belbin confirmed her party was cutting ties with the Sheffield Greens yesterday morning over its refusal to disavow the “Zionism is racism” motion approved at the party conference last month.

Coun Belbin will put forward a vote at full council tomorrow for the city hall to be run by a minority Labour administration, with the Greens booted out.

“Over the last four weeks we have tried to resolve our differences with the Greens,” she said.

“Other Green groups and MPs have spoken out in order to make all of our communities feel safe and secure, but this has not proved possible with the Sheffield Green group.

“Leadership involves difficult decisions, and this has been the hardest since I became leader of the council, but I cannot remain neutral when some of our citizens are feeling so threatened and I do not want to lead an administration that is characterised by division and hatred.

“We will never stop calling for justice for Palestinians and we will work to bring people together to overcome the divisions caused by the Green conference motion.

“Council services will be unaffected by this change and we will continue to focus on the issues that matter to our citizens, including tackling poverty, improving our neighbourhoods and creating opportunities for young people.”

The Sheffield Green Party said that Labour was going to “destroy” the administration because of “top-down demands from London”.

In a statement, councillors said: “It is so sad to hear that Sheffield Labour have failed to stand up for Sheffield.

“They are throwing away our joint working agreement because of top-down demands from London.”

The Sheffield Greens said they “are willing to keep talking and, from our perspective, the door remains open”.

The statement added: “We do not, and will not, conflate Zionism with Judaism, or anti-Zionism with antisemitism.”

The council has been governed in coalition between the two parties, with Labour on 26 councillors and the Greens with 19, since the May elections.

Prior to that, the Liberal Democrats had formed part of the administration, however they pulled out over a dispute with the Local Plan.

This is a blueprint for where housing will be built across the city up until 2039, but has proved hugely controversial over plans for potential developments on 14 green belt sites.

Even actor Sean Bean has got involved in protests to protect fields near his childhood home.

The draft local plan was first proposed in 2023 and recently underwent an unprecedented fifth consultation.

Coun Belbin wrote to the Government asking for help to solve what has become a “really difficult” situation.

Moving into a minority administration will likely make it much harder for the plans to pass.

The Greens had supported the proposals, with Reform UK and the Lib Dems opposing them.

However, after the latest row and split, should Green councillors vote against the plans, it would throw the years’ delayed housing blueprint into disarray once again.