On Monday 25^th November, Green Cllr Caroline Jackson was elected as leader of Lancaster City Council. The extraordinary general meeting was called following the resignation of Labour Councillor Phil Black as leader on 13th November.

Lancaster is now one of 12 councils across England with a Green leader! 

Cllr Jackson immediately announced that at least four members of the previous Cabinet will continue on Cabinet with similar responsibilities: Cllr Caroline Jackson will continue to lead on Housing;  Cllr Peter Jackson, leader of the Lib Dems, will become Deputy Leader of the Council while continuing with his portfolio of Communities and Well-being; and  Green councillors Tim Hamilton-Cox and  Nick Wilkinson will retain their Cabinet portfolios for Finance and Property, and Regeneration respectively.

Cllr Jackson, a Bulk ward councillor in Lancaster for 11 years, and who previously led the council for a two-year period (in 2021-2023), said after the vote:

” I am grateful and honoured to be elected as leader of the Council. I hope to announce the full Cabinet positions by the end of the week, with details about who will lead on the other portfolios.

“I am confident of assembling a good team of new and established members to carry forward the priorities already established in the Council Plan.

“I agree with the sentiments that Cllr Black expressed at the time of his resignation that much has been achieved by the cross-party administration since May 2023. I asked Labour members to reconsider their position but they declined. 

There is no doubt that there will be difficult budget decisions to be made by February. Despite a new Labour Government, local authorities like ours who provide essential and highly valued services for our residents and businesses are still finding it necessary to make savings in order to balance the budget. “

(See addendum below for the full Cabinet Positions)

 Deputy leader of the Green Group, Gina Dowding said:

“Residents in the district expect us to represent them and as far as possible, their political choices. We know that always means a cross party administration. For most of the last twenty years Greens and Labour have shared in the administration of the city council. 

“It is unfortunate that Cllr Black misrepresented the perfectly civil negotiations between the Labour and Green leaders and deputy leaders to revise the leadership roles in recent weeks and it is disappointing that Labour decided to withdraw from working with the Greens and the Lib Dems.”

Cllr Jackson received 30 votes, backed by the Greens, the Lib Dems and an Independent Councillor. Voting against were 19 from Labour and 1 Independent Councillor. The Conservatives and Morecambe Bay Independents abstained from voting. Some Councillors were absent.

Addendum:

On Thursday 29th November, the full cabinet appointments were announced. Caroline will lead a slightly smaller cabinet of 9 members (6 Green, 2 Lib Dem & 1 Morecambe Bay Independent). They are:

• Cllr Caroline Jackson (Green) – Leader of the Council, portfolio for Housing and Homelessness
• Cllr Peter Jackson (Lib Dem) – Deputy Leader of the Council, portfolio for Communities, Well-Being and Partnerships
• Cllr Tim Hamilton-Cox (Green) – portfolio for Finance and Property
• Cllr Nick Wilkinson (Green) – portfolio for Regeneration & Local Economy (Lancaster)
• Cllr Gina Dowding (Green ) – portfolio for Climate Action
• Cllr Sue Tyldesley (Green) – portfolio for Planning
• Cllr Sally Maddocks (Green) – portfolio for Corporate Services
• Cllr Paul Hart (Lib Dem) – portfolio for Environmental Services
• Cllr Martin Bottoms (Morecambe Bay Independent) – portfolio for Regeneration & Local Economy (Morecambe)

Welcoming the new cabinet,Councillor Jackson said:

“I am delighted to have been elected leader, having previously served in the position from 2021-23. The new cabinet is an excellent mix of experience from those who have served previously, along with four new members who bring with them a new perspective and thinking to their areas of responsibility. In particular we welcome two new members, Paul Hart and Martin Bottoms, who are both Morecambe based.

“It’s important to remember that while the leadership of the council may have changed, our priorities have not. The Council Plan runs until 2027 and sets the strategic vision for our services, along with the city council’s commitment to making the most of the district’s many attributes as a great place to live, work and visit.”

The post Green Councillor Caroline Jackson Elected to lead Lancaster City Council appeared first on North Lancashire Green Party.

To the surprise of Green Councillors, Labour Councillor Phil Black resigned his leadership of Lancaster City Council at the full council meeting on Wednesday 13 November 2024. He effectively ended the alliance agreement between Labour, Greens and Lib Dems who have jointly been running the Council since May 2023. 

Leader of the Green Group, Councillor Caroline Jackson said: 

“We were disappointed that Councillor Black and the Labour group should have chosen this abrupt and emotional way of ending the current administration, and announce that they have chosen to be in opposition. Cllr Black could and should have given advance notice so that a new leader could have been elected at the meeting. The effect of this action in the middle of the budget process is to halt essential work and ultimately delay decision-making. 

“Cllr Black misrepresented the perfectly civil negotiations between the Labour and Green leaders and deputy leaders in recent weeks.

“It is a fact that Labour has lost three seats and become the smaller political group. Back in May 2023, Cllr Black insisted that he should be leader of the Council because Labour had more councillors than Greens.

“Cllr Black has been unwilling or unable to negotiate with us to create a smooth transition to a Green leadership at this point, and he had not even committed to doing so in May when the current arrangement was due to end. For the record, our offer in the negotiations was to reduce Cabinet from 10 places to 9, with Greens and Labour having 4 places each but transferring the leadership to Greens, and the Lib Dems keeping one place. 

“I personally would like to commend all the members of the Liberal-Democrat, Green and Labour cross-party administration that has just been terminated. It has been hard working, co-operative, and broadly successful.”

Deputy leader of the Green Group, Gina Dowding added: 

“From the outset Labour did not follow through on the draft agreement that was created in May 2023 – in some haste – between the three political groups. One of that agreement’s underpinning principles was ‘Further details to be addressed via a working agreement.’

“Having secured the leadership, Cllr Black refused to have any further conversations to complete what was, and still is, a draft agreement. 

“We were also taken aback that nine months in he announced, without prior discussion and via email, a re-shuffle of the Cabinet places. This was despite the administration agreement establishing which portfolio areas each group would have.  Cllr Black expressly reminded us that the Council administration was a hierarchical organisation and ‘the Greens might not like that, but they better get used to it.’  He made policy announcements which did not meet our joint commitment to ‘no surprises’. 

“Despite all this, I do agree with the sentiments that Cllr Black expressed at Full Council that much has been achieved by the cross-party administration, which makes is all the more surprising that they would choose to withdraw from it. We would really like the Labour group to reconsider the position it took on Wednesday night and resume the cabinet posts it held, under Green leadership.”

Based on the respective numbers of councillors in each party, the administration had consisted of 5 Labour Cabinet members (including the leader), 4 Greens and 1 Lib Dem. Cllr Black’s announcement followed two negotiation meetings between the Greens and Labour about the way forward for the shared administration. In two recent by-elections caused by Labour City Councillors resigning from the council – in the University and Scotforth East wards – there had been significant increase in support for the Green Party, who won both seats. Labour had also lost a third councillor due to an internal group fall out.

Out of 61 Council seats, the Greens now have 23 (up from 21), Labour 21 (down from 24), while Lib Dems have 7, Conservatives 5, Morecambe Bay Independents 3, and two non-aligned Independents.

The post Greens respond to Council Leader’s sudden resignation appeared first on North Lancashire Green Party.

The turnout was 30.8 % and the results were:

• Andrew Robert Otway (Green Party) – 623 (57.7%) ELECTED
• Mark Andrew Jarnell (Labour Party) – 241  (22.3%)
• Timothy Wood (Conservative Party) – 148 (13.7%)
• Malcolm Martin (Liberal Democrats) 66(6.1%)

Andrew’s win confirms the Green Party as the biggest group on Lancaster City Council, with 23 out of 61 seats. Labour have 21, Liberal Democrats 7, Conservatives 5, Morecambe Bay Independents 3 and non-aligned Independents 2.

It also makes us the joint second biggest group of elected Greens in the UK, along with Mid-Suffolk who also have 23 Green Councillors. Only Bristol has an even bigger elected Green Group, with 34.

Andrew is a Scotforth resident who worked at Lancaster Central Library for 30 years before his recent retirement. He said:

“Thank you to all the voters of Scotforth East and to everyone who took the time to chat to about local issues. I have lots of ideas and casework to follow up, and am looking forward to making a difference as one of the councillors for this lovely, friendly part of Lancaster.”

You can read more about Andrew here.

Cllr Caroline Jackson, Leader of the Green Group and Deputy Leader of the Council said:

“Congratulations to Andrew – I’m delighted to welcome him to our hard-working team of Green Councillors.  I’m now looking forward to discussions with our current partners in the successful joint administration (Green, Labour and Lib Dem) about the consequences for the next two and half years.”

The post Greens confirmed as biggest group on Lancaster City Council after By-election win in Scotforth East appeared first on North Lancashire Green Party.

It is a matter of public record that the Greens unanimously voted against the proposal to enter in to the ‘Collaboration Agreement’ with Lancashire County Council in August 2021.

Two years later in June 2023 the Conservative-led Lancashire County Council itself withdrew from the £140m funding agreement with government which would have enabled the ‘South Lancaster Growth Catalyst.’

Tim said: “It is deeply concerning that residents in Scotforth East who are unfamiliar with the detail may take the Conservatives’ claim at face value. I appreciate that Tim Wood, the by-election candidate, has now discussed the content of the leaflet with me, and I asked him to publicly retract the assertion given it is a lie.  It is important that the public know that when it came to the key vote the Labour group did support the Collaboration Agreement; and the Greens did not. 

Green candidate in Scotforth East, Andrew Otway, added: “This is not the way to conduct politics. If there is no regard for truth in what candidates say in their leaflets, it chips away at faith in the whole political process. I hope that the Conservative candidate will publicly retract that falsehood.”

Photo of the Conservative election material shown below.

The post Greens call on Tories to retract blatantly false claim over South Lancaster housing development vote appeared first on North Lancashire Green Party.

The post The Greens have become the largest political group on Lancaster City Council for the first time in history! appeared first on North Lancashire Green Party.

The post the Mayor of Lancaster, Councillor Abi Mills, announces that her public schedule will be reduced while she undergoes breast cancer treatment appeared first on North Lancashire Green Party.

The composition of the Council is now Labour 23, Green 22, 7 Lib Dem, 5 Conservative, 3 Morecambe Bay Independents and 1 non-aligned Independent.

The turnout for the election was very low due to the election being held after the end of university term, when most students had gone home. This did not make it easier to campaign, in addition the campaign began in exam season, there was the protest camp ( During much of the campaign Maria was based at the Palestine Solidarity Encampment on campus and invited students to come and speak to her at any time) and the local party had a General Election campaign to run at the same time!

So – we were delighted with the campaign run by Maria, Tom, and the team at the University and the result!Maria spoke to students around campus about the improvements they would like to see, and made pledges based on  5 areas of concern she has identified around the cost of living crisis, lack of mental health services, the Palestine Solidarity encampment (a protest camp against University involvement in the arms industry), student safety and Net Zero targets. She promised to make sure the voice of Lancaster University students is heard.

Maria spoke out during the campaign about how the cost of living crisis is affecting students, saying: 

“The cost of living crisis has affected us all in one way or another. In a study of over 4500 uni students, the NUS found that 96% of students are making cutbacks because of the cost of living crisis.

“More than a quarter of these are living on less than £50 a month after paying bills and rent. The university offers many different avenues of support like the supper club, community cupboards and LUSU pantry.

These are amazing programmes that have been able to support the people struggling most, but, its just not enough. As your councillor I would be able to get involved in the cost of living group, a group responsible for assessing what students need most to help them through this extremely tricky time.”

The post Lancaster City Council, University Ward By-Election Results: A win for Maria Deery! appeared first on North Lancashire Green Party.

Abi said “Becoming mayor is an immense privilege, and I am especially delighted to have the support of my son Hamish as Deputy Mayor and my husband Jon as consort. This upcoming year promises to be a remarkable journey for us all.

“I hope to meet as many local people, groups and organisations as I can that make up our wonderful vibrant communities as well as raise vital funds for two charities which are close to my heart.”

During her mayoral year, the charities Abi has chosen to support are Citizens’ Advice North Lancashire and Smile for ME.

Read more here. 

For all her news, events, charity work, and lots of music, for her year as Mayor – check out Abi’s new Facebook page – and give it a follow! https://www.facebook.com/lancastermayor

The post Green Councillors Abi and Hamish Mills are formally instated as the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Lancaster appeared first on North Lancashire Green Party.