Greens target city elections

Four new councillors at the county council elections brings their number up to five at County Hall and with 24 of the city council's 48 seats up for election next May, including Labour council leader Alex Hollingsworth's -- and speculation that some veteran Labour members could stand down -- the Greens say they have never been stronger.

Group leader Craig Simmons said he thought they were in a strong position, but doubted whether that would be enough to take control.

He said: "Given what happened with the county council result we have the potential to double the number of Green city councillors.

"We could well be the second biggest group next time depending on how well the party performs.

"We want to build on our broad range of support and demonstrate we're happy to work with other political groups.

"I never envisaged our rise would be so meteoric but people now take Green politics seriously and we never get accused of being a single-issue party."

Elsewhere, the Independent Working Class Association, which failed to elect a single councillor at the county council elections and lost in the city council Blackbird Leys by-election, hopes to do much better and is likely to target Mr Hollingsworth's Barton seat.

IWCA councillor Lee Cole said: "I would predict that next year will be a totally different story for us -- it's a case of watch this space because I think a lot of people will be surprised. We are all very upbeat about it all."

Bill Baker, deputy leader of the city council, said: "I think it's very unlikely the Greens will control the council. If we lose control then it will be to the Liberal Democrats."

Liberal Democrat group leader John Goddard, who also faces re-election next year, added: "The Greens have done really well but their vote is not strong enough or widely distributed enough for them to control the city council."