A fresh rainbow cabinet has been unveiled at Babergh District Council – but the Conservatives are no longer on the front bench after a rift within the party.

Four Conservatives resigned the group – including leader John Ward – to resurrect the Independent Conservatives group which existed prior to 2019.

The cabinet reshuffle was triggered after Independent Derek Davis was dismissed from the cabinet two weeks ago, which prompted the three other Independents – Clive Arthey, Alastair McCraw and Elisabeth Malvisi and the one Liberal Democrat, David Busby, to resign in protest. All five remained councillors.

That left five Conservatives on the front bench. The group planned to add another couple of group members to form a minority administration, but disagreements within the party over whether that was workable meant four members – leader John Ward, Jan Osborne, Adrian Osborne and Mary McLaren, opted to leave the group and reform the Independent Conservative group.

Council leader John Ward said: "We are a no overall control council and the clear message from the electorate is that they want us to work together.

"We mustn't let personal differences and animosities get in the way of providing effective administration of the council and we must consider the morale of all councillors and our hard-working officers.

"The Independent Conservative group does have a history and five of its seven members from before 2019 are still members of the council – four Conservatives and one Independent."

The Conservative group, which had been the largest party but not big enough to hold an outright majority, issued a statement which said: "John Ward, the Conservative leader, refused to follow the democratic process of the party – he wanted to impose his own choice of cabinet on the Conservative group. Trust in him had reached a low point. On Sunday PM a meeting of the group overturned his proposal.

"On Monday following the group vote he announced his resignation from the conservatives and retained leadership of the council."

The party confirmed it would now operate as an opposition group for the final year of the current council until the May 2023 election, adding that it would "continue to look after the interests of our electorate," and "ensure that parking charges are not introduced by the new administration".

It means the new cabinet will comprise members of the Independent Conservatives, Independent, Liberal Democrat and Green groups.

The new look cabinet and their portfolios are as follows:

John Ward (Ind Con) – Leader, economic development

Clive Arthey (Ind) – Deputy leader, planning

Jan Osborne (Ind Con) – Housing

Mary McLaren (Ind Con) – Communities and wellbeing

Elisabeth Malvisi (Ind) – Environment

Alastair McCraw (Ind) – Customers, digital transformation and improvement

Dave Busby (Lib Dem) – Finance, assets and investments

Jane Gould (Green) – Climate change, biodiversity and sustainable transport

Clive Arthey, deputy council leader and leader of the Independent group, said: "The Independents support the principle of an administration that is representative of the overall membership of the council. We are sorry that wasn't possible with the Conservative group.

"We understand how difficult it must have been for some of the Conservatives to leave their group, but appreciate how they are putting people before politics.

"I'm pleased we can put the disruption of the last few months behind us and look forward to a more harmonious and productive administration for the remainder of our term."

Leigh Jamieson, Green group leader, said: "After three years Cllr Ward as finally offered a place on the cabinet to Green members. As the second largest political party on the council this should have happened a long time ago.

"We are far from happy with the way that the administration has run the council since 2019 and by joining the cabinet we will work to ensure better, more transparent decision-making, in the interests of residents.

"Over the last few months, certain members of the Conservative group have been putting their political ambitions ahead of the welfare of Babergh residents and this must stop.

"We hope the new cabinet will now focus only on matters that are important to residents and will end the political posturing. However, if the same issues return, we as a council will draw a line and change the administration."

Sue Carpendale, Liberal Democrat group leader, said the leader and cabinet had the group's support.

"I think he's made some very good appointments to this new cabinet, though it's a pity he has had to do so as a breakaway group," she said.

"I've been around a long time at Babergh, we are well used to no-overall-control councils.

"We are used to working cross-party and to co-operating in the interests of the district and our residents – they are what matter.  This has always been our approach and preference."

The council now comprises 10 Conservatives, 10 Independents, four Independent Conservatives, four Greens, three Liberal Democrats and one Labour member.

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