The Greens will go it alone in Brighton and Hove for the next four years.

Following Friday’s historic election result, politicians from all sides have been in discussions about how Brighton and Hove City Council should be run.

Before the election, senior figures in the Green and Labour camps mooted the idea either of a coalition or a working agreement to ensure the Tories did not return to power.

However, the 13 Labour councillors have unanimously decided to stand back and let the Greens, who have 23 of the 54 seats, form a minority administration.

Labour group leader Gill Mitchell said: “We successfully ran the council with the same number of seats between 2003 and 2007 and the Conservatives governed with 26 seats for the past four years so it is right the Greens, as clear winners, are given the opportunity to implement their manifesto in the same way.

“We will support them where they bring forward sensible proposals in the best interests of the city as well as being an effective and challenging opposition when we think they are getting things wrong.”

In response, Green convenor Bill Randall said: “We thank Labour for their good wishes and welcome their decision to work with us to bring forward our manifesto pledges in the best interests of the city.

“We look forward to meeting them to discuss ways in which we can work together to protect our most vulnerable residents from the savage cuts inflicted on Brighton and Hove by the Tory-led government.”

Following Friday’s results, the new council make-up is 23 Green, 18 Conservative and 13 Labour.

All three groups will decide who will take senior positions such as leader, deputy and chief whip at meetings in the coming days.

Decisions on size and make-up of the council’s cabinet plus chairmen of key committees, such as planning and licensing, must be decided by the end of the week.

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