Warwick District Council now lists a Green minority administration after Labour ended their pact over a Zionism motion. The Greens hold 14 of 44 seats.
Warwick District Council is now run by the Greens alone. The council’s own website says “the Green Group has formed a minority administration”, with Councillor Ian Davison still leader.
In April the same page said the Green and Labour groups had formed a joint administration. That arrangement began in May 2023.
The change follows a national Labour decision about a motion passed at the Green Party’s conference in October, which said Zionism is racism.
Three names have gone from the Cabinet list
The record of the Cabinet meeting on 22 October shows nine members. Three of them are no longer listed:
- Jessica Melrose, the Labour group leader
- Christopher King, named deputy leader of the council in the 2023 announcement
- Jim Sinnott
The council’s portfolio holders page, read today, lists six people:
- Ian Davison: strategic leadership and place, now including planning and the Local Plan
- Jonathan Chilvers: resources
- Hema Yellapragada: decarbonisation and community protection
- Rebecca Davidson: housing, and people and organisational development
- Ella Billiald: arts, culture and economy
- Will Roberts: neighbourhood
Neither page carries a date, so we cannot say exactly when they changed. The council’s news page has no announcement about it.
What Labour said
Labour announced the decision on 2 November. Its statement, published in full by LabourList, says local groups were asked to seek “a clear and unambiguous public statement” rejecting the policy. After reviewing the replies, the party’s National Executive Committee ended co-operation at councils including Warwick.
Party chair Bridget Phillipson said: “Labour has been clear from the start that the ‘Zionism is Racism’ policy crosses a line and we cannot work with any party that supports it, at any level of government.”
She added: “Labour councillors will keep working hard every day for their local residents and will always act in the best interests of their area.”
What the Greens said
The local Greens set out their position in two statements on 21 October, before the decision. Their statement said: “we refuse to condemn a democratically decided policy because of political intimidation.” It also said they “strongly condemn antisemitism”.
Their open letter to Labour colleagues went further on the motion itself. It said: “The general consensus of the council’s Green councillors is that we do not agree with the motion as it stands.”
The letter said Green leaders cannot overrule a conference decision, and that the motion “will have no impact on any of our local policies”.
Councillor Davison said: “It would be a sad irony if our successful joint administration is ended by national Labour. This would make it harder to deliver important services that our residents deserve.”
The local party’s site had published nothing newer when we read it today.
The numbers
The council lists 44 seats:
A majority is 23. Together, the Greens and Labour had 21, so the old partnership already needed votes from other groups. The Greens now start from 14.
What it means for you
- Your services: neither party has announced any change to bins, parking or council tax. The fees agreed for 2027/28 were approved by Full Council on 28 October.
- The budget: a 14-seat administration will need support from other groups to pass anything that goes to a vote. That includes next year’s budget.
- Planning: the portfolio for planning and the South Warwickshire Local Plan now sits with the leader. Changes to how applications reach committee started on 31 October and do not depend on the pact.
- Reorganisation: the council is also facing its abolition by 2029, so this administration will help shape what comes next.
The next Full Council meeting is listed for 2 December at the Town Hall. No papers were published when we checked.
We will update this story when the council, the local Labour group or the Greens say more.
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