LABOUR councillors have again put the Conservatives in the Calderdale Council driving seat.
Despite calls for a cross-party coalition to form the Cabinet, all seven seats will again be held by Tories.
Liberal Democrat leader Janet Battye (Calder) told the annual meeting of the council that for the third year running, an unofficial pact b
etween the largest and smallest political groups had deprived her members of a say in how the authority is run.
"Yet again, we have been excluded from a fair share of the power – the Conservatives being quite happy to receive support from Labour," she said.
Seven of the nine Labour councillors voted in favour of the Cabinet remaining unchanged with only Danielle Coombes (Lab, Ovenden) and Helen Rivron (Lab, Ovenden) dissenting.
It means Ann McAllister (Rastrick) continues as leader, Stephen Baines (Northowram and Shelf) is deputy leader, Amanda Byrne (Sowerby Bridge) is responsible for community services, Craig Whittaker (Rastrick) schools and young people's services, David Kirton (Hipperholme and Lightcliffe) regeneration and development, Graham Hall (Hipperholme and Lightcliffe) corporate services and Graham Reason (Northowram and Shelf) health and social care.
Retiring Mayor Martin Peel (Sowerby Bridge) has replaced Grenville Horsfall (Skircoat) as chairman of the planning committee and Coun Horsfall has taken over from Keith Watson (Greetland and Stainland) as licensing committee chairman.
Roger Taylor (Con, Northowram and Shelf) is the council's new police authority spokesman, in place of fellow Conservative Geraldine Carter (Ryburn).
Councillor Ginley and Brian Smith (Lab, Ovenden) will represent the council on the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority and Geoffrey Wainwright (Con, Skircoat) and Labour leader Tim Swift (Town) will be the representatives on the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority.
Colin Stout (Ind, Brighouse) is the new chairman of the community services scrutiny panel.
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