By Claire Smyth
The Greens have triumphed in the local elections in Brighton and Hove winning 23 seats out of 54, making them the largest party on the council.
They are tantalisingly short – five seats short – of an overall majority.
Brighton and Hove City Council becomes the first in the country to be run by Greens, just as last year Brighton Pavilion became the first constituency to elect a Green MP, Caroline Lucas.
Ms Lucas attended the count, as did Brighton Kemptown Conservative MP Simon Kirby.
The Tories slipped from having 25 seats going into the election to 18.
Labour’s gains and losses left them still on 13 seats and they are expected to give at least tacit support to a Green administration as junior partners.
Bill Randall, the Green Party convenor, said: “The city has listened to the Greens and we have listened to the city.
Enthused
“Greens would now sit down and plan how to take the city forward in these difficult times.
“This is the first time the Greens have been the largest party on any council in the UK and people seem to be genuinely enthused by the option of a Green-led council.
“It’s a great result for the city and a huge vote of confidence in the Greens. People went Green across Brighton & Hove. We held all our seats and gained 10 more.
“We now have 23 Green councillors, making us the largest Green group of councillors in the country.
“The next step is for us to talk to other parties about how we will work with them and implement our manifesto pledges at a very challenging time for local government budgets.
“We can’t say how this will work until we have entered into discussions.
“We’re going to go out and celebrate now and then the hard work starts next week.
“We will act in the interests of the community.
Different
“Brighton has bucked the trend of small parties being squeezed since the last election. Brighton has shown it is different.
This is a great opportunity.
I hope the Greens don’t blow it they way they did in Lewisham five years ago.