City appoints leader after second attempt

Cambridge City Council finally appointed Labour councillor Katie Thornburrow as leader on its second attempt, nearly a month after local elections. Labour retained control despite losing six seats, holding 17 of 42, while the Greens gained six seats to reach 12. The Liberal Democrats maintained 11 seats, and former Labour leader Cameron Holloway lost his seat to the Greens. The initial vote failed after opposition parties rejected Thornburrow’s candidacy. This time, the Liberal Democrats abstained after securing agreements on key resident concerns, including reopening public toilets, improving street cleaning, and addressing anti-social behavior. Lib Dem group leader Tim Bick stated the move ensured all parties could influence council decisions, though no broader agreement was reached. The Green Party accused the Liberal Democrats of enabling Labour’s continued leadership without Green involvement. Greens claimed the Lib Dems demanded leadership roles and rejected compromise, despite Greens winning the most votes in the election. Green group leader Naomi Bennett said negotiations focused on local government reform, development plans, and cost-of-living issues but failed to produce a collaborative administration. Green deputy leader Sefira Davidson stated the party offered fair compromises, including shared cabinet posts, but the Lib Dems insisted on immediate leadership control. Thornburrow acknowledged the need for constructive cross-party collaboration to address resident needs, despite the political divisions. The council’s new leadership now faces pressure to deliver on promises amid ongoing tensions between parties. The Greens remain critical of the power-sharing impasse, while Labour and the Lib Dems proceed with a minority administration.