Mid Suffolk: Greens take formal control of their first council

The Green Party held its first Mid Suffolk District Council meeting as the party in charge

The Green Party said it was determined "to make a difference" after it formally took over at an English council for the first time.

Mid Suffolk District Council held its first full council meeting since the party won 24 of the authority's 34 seats last month.

Their leader Andy Mellen said his party had been given an "emphatic mandate from residents".

He added it was "quite a step up for the party... now the hard work begins".

Mr Mellen, after being formally chosen as council leader, said his party would respond to concerns raised by voters in the election.

He told the meeting: "Mid Suffolk's residents are rightly concerned about a variety of issues, the cost of living perhaps foremost among them.

"For many it's trying to find an affordable place to live, others spoke to us about the provision of local services and public transport and the decline of town centres - and above all these concerns was the looming threat of climate change."

Andy Mellen, leader of the Mid Suffolk Greens, was confirmed as leader of Mid Suffolk District Council

He said there was also a biodiversity crisis with a decline in the population of insects, birds and other wildlife and promised "concern for this beautiful world must be at the heart of everything we do".

"Clearly a district council like ours can't solve all these problems but we can make a start and we can work with others. I believe we can make a difference," Mr Mellen said.

• What's in store for England's first Green council?

The council's Conservative group, now reduced to just six councillors, sat quietly throughout Mr Mellen's speech.

Earlier their group leader John Whitehead said they would approach opposition "with humility" following their election defeat.

But he said he had concerns about how deliverable Green Party policies would be.

"Is the technology there and ready, will it give good value to the taxpayer?" he asked.

The Greens know that many people voted for them as a protest vote against the government.

Their party leaders say they hope Mid Suffolk will prove that they can be trusted with control of a council and make a difference before the next set of elections in four years' time.