It has been seven weeks now since the Babergh elections and the dust has settled, giving a clear way forward.

The electorate has dealt us a difficult hand with ten Greens, nine Independents, seven Conservatives, five Lib Dems and one Labour as the make up of the new council.

However, we have been able to put together an administration that represents a broad coalition with an innovative rotating leadership arrangement, designed to give us the maximum chance of stability over the next four years – essential for the smooth running of the council and which is what, I am sure, residents want after quite a turbulent period during the last council term.

There will definitely be changes to what we do and how we do it, but change is good and I am pleased to be able to play a significant part of that as a member of the leadership team.

The Green/Independent/Lib Dem coalition cabinet has met to discuss and agree a set of shared priorities which is both ambitious and exciting: it is a combination of continuity with many refreshing new ideas and a strong commitment to strengthen some of the nascent plans already proposed by the previous administration. We will be publishing these priorities shortly. 

It was good to see that, right from the start, there were no areas of strong disagreement and that the new cabinet members are quickly getting to know and respect each other. We will be a good team. 

The Babergh leadership team is off to the Local Government Association Conference during the first week of July, which will have a different feel as it will reflect the changing political landscape. I hope (and I know other councillors there will too) that we will finally get clarity from government regarding timescales for the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, which contains significant changes to the planning system and infrastructure funding, and the Resources and Waste Strategy, which will have a huge impact on how we collect household waste and how the county council disposes of it.

There are also, as ever, many questions about council funding that will need answers too, particularly given the problems over the past year with bids into the Shared Prosperity and Levelling Up Funds.

I am also looking forward to meeting and getting to know the new leaders of the other districts in Suffolk: all have changed, although the Babergh and Mid Suffolk leaders already know each other well.

It has been a great honour and privilege to have been leader of Babergh for the past five and a half years and I look forward to my turn again in 2025.

In the meantime I will give my wholehearted support to Cllrs Busby and Saw during their leaderships.

And this brings me on to my final comment. Babergh has lost two of the best, most dedicated and able councillors it has ever had in Jan Osborne and Clive Arthey, who failed to get re-elected for reasons I won't go into here.

Rock Jan Osborne (middle)

I am sure we will see them back again one day – I will do everything I can to achieve that.