By Don Mort, local democracy reporter
Political control of the city council is set to be confirmed after Labour lost its overall majority in the local elections.
The city’s 99 councillors are due to meet at the Civic Hall on Wednesday (May 20) for the authority’s annual meeting.
Labour remains the city’s biggest political group, despite gains for Reform UK and the Greens, and is expected to form a minority administration.
The arrangement can be made when a council falls under “no overall control”, with no party holding more than 50 per cent of the seats.
Led by Kippax and Methley councillor James Lewis, Labour would form the new executive board, the council’s main decision-making body.
But without an overall majority, the party may need to work with other political groups to seek consensus on major issues voted on at full council meetings.
Labour had 48 councillors following the May 7 vote, down from 56 before the election.
Labour’s share has since fallen to 47 after Jess Lennox, Crossgates and Whinmoor councillor, left to sit as an independent.
Coun Lennox previously served as Labour’s executive member for housing.
First elected in 2018, she is now listed as an independent member on the council’s website.
Councils under no overall control are sometimes run by coalitions formed between different political groups.
But that would require agreement between parties strongly opposed to each other.
In Leeds, the Conservatives are now the second biggest group with 14 councillors, followed by the Greens with 11 and Reform with ten.