Birmingham elects Liberal Democrat to lead council as smallest group takes control

A Liberal Democrat councillor has been elected as leader of Birmingham City Council, despite Sir Ed Davey's party making up the smallest group in the authority.

Roger Harmer, the councillor for Acocks Green, told a full meeting of the authority the coalition would bring "fresh ideas and a shared commitment to rebuilding trust" in the council, which has been embroiled in a long-running bin strike.

Councillors elected Mr Harmer as leader of the 101-seat authority in the first round of voting with 40 votes, beating challenges from Conservative group leader Robert Alden (19 votes) and Reform UK’s Jex Parkin (18 votes).

The left-leaning partnership to run Europe's largest council consists of the Liberal Democrats and the Greens, with additional support from a brand new group of seven Independents led by Ward End councillor, Harris Khaliq.

Speaking to BirminghamLive not long after his election, Mr Harmer said: "It is a tremendous honour, I feel very humbled and very grateful to all my colleagues who voted for me.

"We accept the electorate has given Birmingham City Council a very, very hung council, split across the parties, and we will work with all parties to better Birmingham. We will be listening and willing to talk to all."

In his speech to the meeting before the result was announced, Mr Alden said Birmingham had been "badly let down" in recent years by the previous Labour administration.

He said: "Whoever forms the next administration, be it ourselves or someone else round this chamber, they’re going to inherit a city that has gone from the cleanest city in Britain under the Conservative-led council in 2007...to one where residents have seen rubbish pile up and a bin strike that’s gone on for 18 months. This city doesn’t need blame it needs solutions."

Mr Parkin added: "The decline of this great city needs to end. It will come as no shock to members of this council to learn that public confidence in this local authority is at rock bottom.

"Why is that? Because we see it every day. The state of our roads, the rubbish on our streets, the rising crime, and indeed the decline of our neighbourhoods."

In a striking first move, no members of Reform or Labour were offered chairing roles of any of the council's crucial scrutiny committees.

Instead, in a pre-arranged deal, every one of the seven scrutiny chair roles has gone to a Conservative.

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Mr Parkin, the Reform councillor for the Kingstanding ward, said: "What we have seen throughout this election campaign is that the Tories expected the residents of Birmingham to be naive and they were not.

"They didn't give them a democratic mandate and they are only the fourth biggest party on the council.

"It's clear that Reform is the largest party on the council, and so should have the lion's share of the scrutiny roles.

"To give those wholly to the fourth largest party is a complete democratic failure. I seriously hope the Conservatives and the other parties involved in this deal reflect on their behaviour and conduct."

Labour leader on the council and Bournville & Cotteridge councillor Nicky Brennan, said: "The Lib Dem/Green administration have done a grubby deal with the Tories to ensure they've got an easy ride in the months ahead, rather than having to face cross party scrutiny.

"Any pretence that this coalition is progressive is over on day one.

"We will continue to use our voice to hold the administration to account and push for the deal to end the bin strike to be honoured."