STROUD District Council will continue to be run by an alliance between the three minority parties.

The Greens and the Liberal Democrats have agreed to support the Labour group and work together in order to run the council.

Although the Conservatives kept the largest number of seats (22) in the elections, Labour gained three seats taking its total to 20 and narrowing the gap significantly.

The Green Party has six seats and the Lib Dems has three – therefore an alliance gives them a majority of 29.

Cllr Geoff Wheeler, leader of the Labour group at SDC, has called the alliance a co-operative arrangement.

“We have several areas where we have similar aims and I think we can work together in order to achieve them,” he added.

Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Paul Hemming said: "Unless the Liberal Democrat group disagrees as a matter of policy we will support Labour group proposals in the coming year.”

Cllr Martin Whiteside, leader of the Green group, said: “Greens will be cooperating with Labour and the Lib Dems and pushing forward an exciting agenda of change serving the interests of the people of the Stroud District.”

The Green Party could lose one of its seats as a by-election will now be called for the Valley ward represented by MEP Molly Scott Cato.