The Green Party has decided to leave Arun District Council’s four-party administration, with council leader Martin Lury saying the remaining groups will continue as a minority.
Cllr Lury confirmed the change after two Conservative MPs called on him to end the council’s coalition with the Green Party.
Andrew Griffith, MP for Arundel and South Downs and Alison Griffiths, MP for Bognor and Littlehampton, wrote jointly to Cllr Lury urging him to end the arrangement.
It follows a vote at the Green Party’s national conference on 4 October, which saw the party adopt a motion declaring that “Zionism is racism”.
In their letter, the MPs said: “Jewish residents living in Arun District deserve to know that the people running their council take antisemitism seriously.”
They said the Liberal Democrats’ commitment to standing against racism was difficult to accommodate with the council group continuing to share power with the Green Party.
The letter concluded by asking Cllr Lury to “end your coalition agreement with the Green Party and make clear that there is no place for individual councillors identifying themselves as Green Party elected representatives in positions in your coalition”.
Responding to the letter, Cllr Lury said his Green Party colleagues have made “a reassuring statement repudiating the ridiculous Green Party Conference motion and have been much-valued active members of The Alliance.”
He said: “The Greens have decided to step down from said Alliance and we will continue as a minority administration ensuring stability at Arun and I have to thank them for their valuable contribution over the last three and a half years.”
Cllr Lury also defended the administration’s record, saying there had been “a sea change at Arun” since it took control of the council.
He said the administration had brought back the £5.2 million deficit inherited from the previous Conservative administration and managed to produce a surplus this year.
The MPs’ letter came ahead of an Arun District full council meeting on Wednesday, November 11, where a motion of no confidence in the current administration was due to be considered.
Conservative councillors Shaun Gunner and Kier Greenway were due to bring forward the motion.
However, the motion was not reached after the meeting ran out of time. It is now expected to be considered at the council’s next full council meeting in January.
Green group leader Cllr Sue Wallsgrove and Cllr Gunner have been approached for comment.
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