By Don Mort, local democracy reporter
Labour has announced its senior leadership team to run the city council for the coming year.
The party lost overall control of Leeds City Council after gains were made in the local elections by Reform UK and the Greens.
No party holds more than 50 per cent of council seats, but Labour remains by far the biggest group with 47 of the city’s 99 councillors.
As a minority administration, Labour has now formed a new executive board made up of its own members, along with Conservative opposition leader Alan Lamb.
Arrangements for political control of the city were confirmed at the council’s annual meeting at Leeds Civic Hall.
Council leader James Lewis said: “This is the first meeting of a council that is in no overall control.
“It is something that happens in lots of councils in the country, even if it hasn’t happened in Leeds for a while.
“We are at the start of a journey about how we all work together going forward.”
The Conservatives are the second biggest party in Leeds, with 14 councillors, followed by the Greens with 11 and Reform UK with 10 councillors.
Calverley and Farsley councillor Peter Carlill has been appointed executive board member for. transport and planning
Gipton and Harehills Labour councillor Salma Arif was appointed executive member for the economy and will also serve as the council’s first Muslim deputy leader.
Mary Harland, who represents Kippax and Methley, was also made deputy leader and executive member for communities.
The other executive board appointments were:
- Mohammed Rafique, Chapel Allerton ward: executive member for resources
- Peter Carlill, Calverley and Farsley: transport and planning
- Helen Hayden, Temple Newsam: children and families
- Emma Flint, Weetwood: equalities, adults and health
- Asghar Khan, Burmantofts and Richmond Hill: housing and hubs
- James Gibson, Crossgates and Whinmoor: environment
Labour’s Stephen Holroyd, who represents Ardsley and Robin Hood, was formerly elected as Lord Mayor.
Former council leader, Councillor Andrew Carter (Cons, Calverley & Farsley) has been appointed as chair of the influential Corporate Governance and Audit Committee.
Cllr Carter said: “I’m delighted to have been appointed. Leeds City Council is now a very different place to what it was two weeks ago. It’s incumbent on councillors of all political parties to respect the will of the electorate, who decided that no one party should wield unfettered power.”
Horsforth councillor Emmie Bromley (Lab) has been appointed chair of the Outer North West Community Committee, and Cllr Adrian McCluskey (Lab, Farnley & Wortley) will become Outer West Community Committee chair.