Green Party Takes Historic Control of Norwich Council

Norwich just made history by electing England's first Green Party majority council in a major city, ending Labour's half-century dominance.

The Green Party secured 21 of 39 seats on Norwich City Council, taking five seats from Labour in Thursday's election. The win gives the party its first clear majority to govern the city independently.

"We've made history in Norwich, and Norwich has voted for hope," said Lucy Galvin, the Green group leader who will now lead the council. She emphasized that residents chose councillors who work with people, not against them.

The shift has been building for over two decades. Norwich elected its first Green councillors back in 2002, making it unusual among English cities for embracing environmental politics early.

Labour, which has led the council for most of the time since its establishment in 1974, now holds just 12 seats. The party lost seven seats total, with two going to Reform UK and five to the Greens.

The victory in Norwich wasn't isolated. The Greens also took control of Hastings and London's Waltham Forest borough in the same election cycle, plus won mayoral races in Hackney and Lewisham.

The Ripple Effect

Norwich's green transformation reflects a broader shift in how British cities think about local governance. Before this election, the Greens had only controlled one council in all of England: Mid Suffolk, a much smaller rural district.

The party's success in Norwich shows that environmental policies can resonate in urban centers when combined with community-focused governance. Galvin, who was first elected in 2011, credits the deep roots her party has grown over 22 years of serving the city.

Even Labour leader Mike Stonard acknowledged the changing political landscape, noting that a "national political tide" around environmental and reform politics made it difficult to maintain their traditional hold on the city.

The new Green majority means Norwich can now implement its vision without needing coalition support, from climate initiatives to community programs that residents have been voting for since the early 2000s.

Sometimes history happens one local election at a time, and Norwich just proved that patient, community-focused work can transform an entire city.