Dudley's Liberal Democrats missed out on a deal with the Conservatives to prop up their minority Dudley Council administration. After elections on May 7, the Conservative group remained the largest group on the authority with 27 councillors, Reform UK has 23, Labour has 15, the Lib Dems have four and The Black Country Party has three.
As group leaders negotiated about who will sit on the cabinet and vital scrutiny committees, Lib Dem leader Cllr Ryan Priest was in talks with the ruling Conservatives about the possibility of a seat at the cabinet table in return for his group's support. The deal collapsed at the eleventh hour after and a new set of proposals saw the Lib Dems frozen out while Labour secured seven chairperson roles on vital scrutiny committees.
Cllr Priest said: "Only in Dudley can voters so firmly reject both old parties and still end up governed by them. The Liberal Democrats will hold this Conservative and Labour administration to account and keep our focus firmly on the bread and butter issues that matter to residents – the state of their streets, their bins and their communities."
Labour denies they threatened to support Reform and oust the Conservatives if they didn't get a good deal on committee jobs. Dudley Labour leader, Cllr Shaukat Ali said: "We had conversations with everyone, we wanted to make sure we hold an important role in scrutinising the administration. It's not more of the same, our chairs and vice-chairs will be setting the agenda and holding the administration to account. It's not a matter of sticking together, it's a matter of doing the right thing for the borough."
Lib Dem votes have been required for the past two years to gain approval in the council for the annual budget because there were not enough Conservative councillors to win a vote without the support of another group. The final line-up of council committee memberships will be decided at a full council meeting on May 28 and, despite helping the Conservatives in the past, under the latest proposals the Lib Dems get nothing.
Cllr Priest said: "My criticism of the Labour Party especially has always been; what is the point of doing this job if you are just sitting in opposition forever? It was a difficult election for everybody except Reform and I think we are still dealing with the new realities we are in." Reform UK in Dudley have already said they won't be doing deals and are targeting further gains in 2027 to take control of the council. Cllr Priest added: "No overall control isn't something new for Dudley but with such a sizeable new second party who have come out and said they are not willing to do deals, that makes everything a bit more tricky. I think in local government you are a fool if you are ever optimistic, local government still gets short changed by Westminster."
