Meeting to decide the leadership on council

The leadership of Walsall Council is set to remain in limbo until a meeting on May 23. No political party won an overall majority in last week's elections.

All 60 councillors will meet at the Council House on May 23 to attempt to thrash out a decision.

Labour is now the biggest group with 28 seats and leader Tim Oliver has said they will put forward a motion to run the council as a minority administration.

It won three seats from the ruling Conservatives but lost Darlaston South to Independent Chris Bott and Blakenall to Democratic Labour representative Pete Smith.

In a statement, Councillor Oliver said: "Building on our success of last year, Walsall Labour made significant gains against the Conservatives gaining three seats that will allow us to take control of the council, albeit as a minority administration."

He added: "In the space of two years we have gone from 18 seats to 28 and we will now go forward to the next full council meeting where we will put forward our plans for Walsall; plans to bring jobs and growth and radicalise how the council works on behalf of the people of the borough."

The Conservative group has 24 seats, the LiDems hold five, there are two independents and one Democratic Labour Party member.