Sheffield City Council's Labour and Green parties have agreed to continue their power-sharing arrangement, according to a statement from Labour leader Fran Belbin.
Belbin announced at a full council meeting that the two parties would "work more constructively together going forward." She indicated that a joint statement would soon confirm the continuation of the current administration, which was formed following May's local elections when no single party secured an overall majority.
The announcement followed a delay to the council meeting, which was extended by an hour as talks between Labour and the Greens took place. A protest, primarily by pro-Palestine supporters, was held outside the town hall ahead of the meeting.
Despite the agreement to continue, the move has drawn criticism from the Liberal Democrats. Councillor Martin Smith, leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, called it an "extraordinary U-turn and a shameful abandonment of principle by Labour." He noted that just days prior, Labour had expressed a complete breakdown of trust with the Greens, stating they could no longer work together.