Following the local council elections in which Labour lost overall control of the Council, the failure of other parties to reach an agreement  on a power sharing coalition, resulted in Labour retaining control with the help of  3 Plaid and 2 Independent councillors. The other parties are fuming at this turn of events but have only themselves to blame. Further embarassment  has followed when the Tories, Lib Dems, Independents and Peoples's Voice decided to form an alliance of unlikely bed fellows.The Cabinet have been selected from amongst labour's most experienced and able councillors with  scruntiny chairs being given to some of 'the famous five'. With no overall control government by agreement between 2 or more parties is common and  is a move towards  more consensual and shared governance which is what people actually voted for this time. Perhaps proportional representation in local elections would make things even fairer? The current arrangements will at least give some stability to the Council which will enable elected members to get on with the job they were elected to do.