A NEW alliance has formed between a Liberal Democrat and an Independent councillor to maintain political balance on city council committees.
Carlisle City Council's solo Liberal Democrat councillor Trevor Allison and Indepedent member Jeffrey Thomas Bomford have formed an alliance.
The Independent and Liberal Democrat Group is led by Cllr Bomford but Cllr Allison has said it is simply a practical move after the Conservatives gained another member.
Cllr Allison said: "It's not a new party or anything. I'm still a Lib Dem. It is because of the changes in the council has changed the numbers and the balance, not to our advantage.
"It will make no difference to how I operate or Jeff but it allows us to continue to serve on committees."
The move is necessary to keep the city council's committees politically balanced after the Labour group lost Cllr Jo Ellis-Williams to the Conservatives.
The move gave the Conservative Group a majority on the city council.
"We don't want to be effected by what's going on because we do want to continue."
He said that the move made sense as the two councillors are often aligned on their views about issues discussed at council.
"We've worked together a few times and we're of the same mind on a number of issues."
Cllr Jeffrey Bomford said: "We have had agreements in the past about different things or the same way of thinking but just because we're in a group doesn't mean we'll vote the same way."
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