SNP to form new Glasgow council administration with Greens support

Talks between the parties have been taking place since the SNP secured the most seats (37) at the election count on Friday, May 6.

The Greens, who had their best-ever result in the city, returning 10 councillors, will work in partnership with the SNP, taking up key council positions, including a new role as chair of a net zero and climate progress monitoring committee.

They will vote in support of the formation of a minority SNP council administration at the first meeting of the new term on Thursday.

The SNP has said the agreement is not binding on any votes beyond the first council meeting but the groups aim to deliver shared, progressive priorities. They want to address the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, help the city recover from the pandemic and speed up climate action.

SNP group leader Susan Aitken said: “Glaswegians face huge challenges in the years ahead, from the daily impact of the cost-of-living crisis on incomes and the longer-term effect of the pandemic and Brexit on communities through to ensuring a fair and just transition delivers for all Glaswegians and that our city is climate-ready.

“In a time of great uncertainty this agreement between the SNP and Greens can help provide the confident and responsible leadership this city and its people require. This is about doing politics and governance differently.

“It’s clear that the SNP and Greens have much common ground and have agreed in recent years on how best to meet major challenges affecting Glaswegians. And, crucially, we share a willingness to collaborate to take the bold, urgent and progressive action which the immediate and future needs of Glaswegians demand.”

The two groups will work on a strategic plan, which will align to manifesto commitments, for the council term 2022 to 2027 in the coming months. It is expected to be finalised towards the end of this year.

Glasgow’s Greens will also chair a just transition working group and the neighbourhoods, housing and public realm committee. They will have vice-chairs on the education, skills and early years and environment, sustainability and carbon reduction committees.

They believe the agreement will lead to “greater progress in tackling the climate emergency and the cost of living crisis” as well as a “more open, inclusive and participative council.”

Green group co-convener, Councillor Martha Wardrop, said: “The recent election result clearly showed us that the people of Glasgow agreed with our vision for a more effective, more democratic and forward-looking council.

“With our largest ever group of Green councillors, we will hold a minority SNP administration to account while working collaboratively across party lines to deliver a fairer, greener and more inclusive Glasgow and to bring about the change that people voted for.”

Both groups have worked closely in recent years, with support from the Greens allowing the SNP to pass the city’s annual budgets.

Councillor Jon Molyneux, Green group co-convener, said: “While other parties may want to re-run the arguments of years gone by, or debate national issues rather than local priorities, Greens will work with the people of Glasgow to ensure the council listens to those who we represent and delivers for our communities.

“We will work collaboratively over the coming months to deliver a new five-year plan for the council which delivers the progressive change people want to see.”