LABOUR has vowed to push on and run Stockton Council as a minority administration – but talks before key votes will be needed.

It was a terrible day at the polls for the party in the Tees Valley but Stockton borough was arguably the best of a bad bunch for the group.

Now the group’s leader Cllr Bob Cook has revealed the party intends to run the authority with 24 seats of the 56 available in the chamber.

The Labour leader said: “We have spoken to various groups to tell them what our idea was and we hope to get support from them to form an executive.

“We believe that’s the best way of doing it rather than going into formal coalitions with different groups.

“Obviously other groups can do the same but we will put this forward and we hope to get support to get that through at the annual meeting.”

Labour lost its slender grip on majority power at the council last week – dropping six seats and falling below the 29 needed to run the authority alone.

In 2011, a coalition between the Ingleby Barwick Independent Society (IBIS) and Labour ruled the roost.

But this time around Cllr Cook said his party would be speaking to other groups before putting items to full council votes.

He added: “We will get their opinions on things because we have to make sure we can get things through – we will take into consideration what they have to say.”

Last week’s election saw the Conservatives take 14 seats, the Thornaby Independents take seven, IBIS claim three, the Lib Dems snatch two and other independent groups win six.

Thornaby Independent Association (TIA) gained the most – sweeping the board in Stainsby Hill, Mandale and Victoria and the Village wards.

TIA leader Cllr Sylvia Walmsley said Labour’s decision came as no great surprise but she welcomed the promise of more talks ahead of votes.

She said: “We will just get on with representing the people who voted for us to the best of our ability.

“We are not interested in power for its own sake.

“We thought they might have tried to do a deal with IBIS or some of the other independents.

“Before they just did whatever the hell they wanted so I welcome more discussions.”

Meanwhile, the Conservatives struggled nationally but had a solid showing last week.

Tory leader Cllr Matt Vickers said he hoped Labour’s loss of a majority would prevent “inflation busting council tax rises” and “building the wrong homes in the wrong places”.

He added: “The people of Stockton voted to remove Labour’s majority on the council.

“It would have been good to see councillors acknowledge this and put aside party politics to work together and get the best for the borough.

“Some of those elected as ‘independent’ councillors are very supportive of Labour in practice and their voting records show that.

“We’ll continue to provide robust scrutiny of the council and its spending.”

IBIS is no longer the biggest independent group on the authority.

But it still holds all the cards in Ingleby Barwick West.

Interim leader Cllr Ross Patterson said: “We welcome working with anybody for the good of Ingleby – and the good of Ingleby is getting more infrastructure projects here.

“We look forward to working with the current administration to do that.

“We’ve worked with all administrations in the past to get stuff done in Ingleby – that’s what it’s about.”

The Lib Dems took both seats in Bishopsgarth and Elm Tree – with David Minchella joining Julia Cherrett.

Cllr Minchella said: “Julia and I are surprised that Labour has made this decision and in all honesty we aren’t certain that this is in the best interests of Stockton residents.”

Members of Stockton Council will meet for its annual general meeting on May 22 to agree an administration, cabinet positions and its leader.