THE leader of the Green Party in Oswestry Town Council has said the decision of three councillors to defect to the Liberal Democrats is an ‘amicable’ one.
On Friday, Councillor Jay Moore – a former mayor – moved to the Liberal Democrats with fellow former Greens Rosie Radford and Jonathon Upton, citing a desire to help re-elect current North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan.
It brings the number of Green Party councillors at the council to nine – meaning it no longer has an outright majority – but remains the largest party, with five Conservative councillors and four Liberal Democrats.
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Cllr Duncan Kerr, who stood against Mrs Morgan in 2021, said there was a lot of pressure being a Green councillor ‘delivering success’ to the town, which he insisted that his party had done since the last election.
“Since 2021 when the Green Party defeated the Conservatives to take 12 of the 18 seats on the Town Council there have been some tremendous achievements,” said Cllr Kerr, who is also a Shropshire Council.
“From putting solar panels on the market hall roof to free busses on Saturdays, securing our heritage by purchasing the derelict Grade I-listed Llwyd Mansions; running a free loft insulation scheme, investing in youth services, tackling crime through our new Police Partnership Panel; funding shops front and alleyway improvements, providing a changing places toilet; showing that a peat and herbicide-free council can win In Bloom and providing even more free events.
“Plus planting more than 7,000 trees.
“All this has meant a lot of work for the Green Councillors and put them under a lot of public pressure which continues to this day as the Green Party remains in control.
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“I wish Jay, Rosie and Jonathan all the best for the future and look forward to receiving their contributions and ideas at future council meetings.”
It is Cllr Moore’s third party since 2017, when he was elected as a Conservative, while Cllr Upton was elected in 2021 as a Green candidate.
Cllr Radford had stood as an independent in 2017.
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