My forecast for last week’s local elections in Brighton was met with derision, not least by Green Party councillors. Even Labour activists felt I had been over-optimistic on their behalf. Few others predicted Labour topping 30 seats. I had said that Labour would win 31 seats, the Greens 12, the Conservatives eight, and that there would be three independents.

In the event, Labour secured 38 seats, the Greens seven, Conservatives six and three independents. Few anticipated the rejection of the Greens by the voters on such a massive and humiliating scale.

It was particularly bizarre that even in the days before polling some Greens thought that they would remain the largest party and one or two felt they might even gain their first overall majority. How could the party have been so out of touch, arrogant and tone deaf to the mood in the city?

So why did it go so terribly wrong for the Greens? Running the council they were poor communicators, poor administrators and exceptionally poor politicians. A narrative had been created around them, mostly justifiable, pointing in one direction electorally: to the door. That narrative included one of indifference to the problems of the city, the closure of public toilets, weeds on the pavements, graffiti, the dirty state of the city, the treatment of mayoral-hopeful Dawn Barnett, traffic, an unnecessary flight to a climate summit and the administration’s perceived focus on national and international issues when they weren’t getting things done at home.

I have no doubt that most Greens were hard-working and much of what they did was well intentioned. Their time in office was marred by the global pandemic, the financial crisis and crippling cuts from central government. What they needed to do was to demonstrate that they were first-rate politicians rather than self-righteous when justifiably criticised.

When, over the last year, I have written about these things in my Argus column, I have been told that the Green councillors don’t bother reading what I write. That was their prerogative but they should not have ignored the many other voices saying that they were getting things so very badly wrong and on so many issues.

Two final observations. I am always sorry when hard-working and long-standing councillors, such as Dee Simson, Steve Bell and Dawn Barnett, get defeated. I was sorry that Leo Litman and Siriol Hugh-Jones lost their seats. Leo is someone who brought humour to his role and to the council chamber and Siriol took her role as co-chair of housing particularly seriously, showing an ability to work across political divides.

The second observation was the extraordinary vote secured by the independent Peter Atkinson and topping the poll in North Portslade, possible the only cloud on Labour’s horizon (and a result I did forecast along with the election of two independents, Bridget Fishleigh and Mark Earthey, in Rottingdean and West Saltdean).

As for Labour, having secured the largest majority in Brighton and Hove, they now have the ability to impose, without hindrance, their will on the council. However, they will face huge challenges and, given their mandate, have very high expectations placed on them.

The Labour group should avoid making some elementary mistakes. It should not rush into making changes in how the council is run, at least until the very large number of new councillors and its new leadership have a better understanding as to how things work. It should resist the temptation to reintroduce a cabinet style of administration. That would marginalise the majority of its own councillors and the few remaining opposition members.

With such a majority, another temptation will be to ignore talent in the opposition. To do so would disadvantage the council and shortchange the people of Brighton and Hove. Labour can and should be magnanimous in victory.

The three independent councillors, for example, have a great deal to offer and it would be naive and foolish not to harness what they have to offer. Bridget Fishleigh, given her expertise in procurement, should be encouraged to serve on the Asset Management Board. Mark Earthey is an expert in green, renewable energy and general sustainability and he should serve on the environment, transport and sustainability committee. Peter Atkinson has a passion for and extensive knowledge of housing. Should Labour overlook these assets it would immediately be replicating the behaviour of its Green predecessor.

I am encouraged by a tweet from the new leader of the council Bella Sankey who said: “We’ve united our city. Rejecting the nastiness of the out of touch Tory government. Issuing a damning verdict of the uselessness and hypocrisy of the Green record. Offering hope, vision and unity. We’re ready to lead. I would urge magnanimity in victory.”

Actions will validate these fine words.