Alliance for Wealden retains one-seat majority on Wealden District Council
Publish Date: 3 November 2026
The Alliance for Wealden will retain majority control of Wealden District Council following the announcement of the withdrawal of its two Labour councillors.
The Labour councillors have today announced that they will be withdrawing from the Alliance, ending local power-sharing arrangements with the Green Party. The Alliance will be made up of 12 Liberal Democrat councillors, 10 Green Party councillors and one independent councillor, holding 23 of the council’s 45 seats.
The Alliance has accepted the Labour councillors’ departure and remains committed to cross-party co-operation and delivering services for residents and businesses across Wealden. The change in the Alliance’s membership also means a change to the Cabinet, with Councillor Manvell stepping down from his Cabinet role. A Cabinet reshuffle will follow and will be announced in due course.
Notes to editors:
Before Labour’s withdrawal, the Alliance for Wealden had 25 members, including two Labour councillors. The remaining 23 members give the Alliance a one-seat majority on the 45-member council.
Councillor Coleman has joined the Liberal Democrats, having previously been a Green Party councillor. As a result, the Alliance’s Green Party membership has decreased from 11 councillors to 10, while its Liberal Democrat membership has increased from 11 councillors to 12. The Alliance also includes one independent councillor, Councillor Daniel Brookbank MBE.