Arrangement Secures Advancement of many OWL Policies and Freedom for OWL group and individual OWL councillors to vote as they see fit on a case-by-case basis

When Our West Lancashire achieved its best-ever election results this month, winning 5 seats this left the council with Labour on 13; Conservatives on 12; OWL on 11; Reform on 7 and 2 former Labour Independents.

OWL Group Chairman, Cllr Adrian Owens said, “To run the council lawfully and effectively for the remaining two years before West Lancashire is expected to be abolished, at least 23 councillors are required to elect the statutory positions – Mayor, Leader, Deputy Leader – and to appoint members to committees. No single group could reach that threshold alone, meaning cooperation between groups is essential.  OWL reached out to and spoke with the Leaders of all the other groups.

Reform does not have enough councillors to form a stable arrangement with any other group. Labour, having lost all 15 of the seats they contested, made clear that they were not seeking to continue leading the council. That left only one viable route to ensure West Lancashire has a functioning administration: cooperation between the Conservative and OWL groups.

The arrangement we made allows the council to meet its legal obligations and ensures that committees reflect the political balance of the chamber, operating on a straightforward one councillor/one vote basis.”

Former Labour councillor, Neil Furey who is the new OWL Chair of the Communities and Environment committee said, “Crucially, this arrangement is not a coalition.  There is no way that a coalition would have been acceptable to me or other OWL councillors.  Instead, it simply provides a workable structure and a short list of agreed policies — many of which are OWL’s.  Beyond these agreed items, each group remains independent. Decisions will be taken on their merits, case by case, exactly as OWL has always done.

OWL councillors remain free to vote according to their judgement on any matter not covered in the agreement. We have never operated a whip, and we continue to put residents first, without exception.”

Councillor Owens concluded, “We have wasted no time in advancing OWL policies.  At the council meeting we put an end to Labour’s vanity project to borrow more than £10 million to demolish the council offices and move them to Skelmersdale.  We also reduced the members allowance budget by around £20,000 and reduced the salary bill for senior managers by around £60,000.  We also extended the right for the public to participate and ask questions of councillors to Council meetings and the new Communities and Housing committee.”