The leader of Harrow Council's Conservative group has claimed its agreement with Independent Labour 'will ensure the council has direction and leadership'.

The comments come after the confirmation of the Harrow Borough Council’s cabinet last week, in which two members of the Conservative group have been given two 'non-executive' roles.

Tory group leader Councillor Susan Hall said: “My hope now is that, after several weeks of turbulence, a sense of stability will return to the council.

“The split in the Labour group was clearly not of our making, but the Conservatives felt the most important thing for residents was that someone step in to steady the ship. This way, the services they need and in many cases rely on can continue to function.

“In contrast with the ‘with us or against us’ approach adopted by the Labour group, we recognised that with no party having a majority on the council it would be near impossible to get things done. We therefore hope the new arrangement will ensure the council has direction and leadership.”

She added the agreement was not a ‘coalition’, as it has been called by the Labour group.

She said: “Harrow has an Independent Labour administration, with Conservatives occupying two non-executive and non-voting positions on the cabinet.

“We are not making the decisions, and will certainly challenge the administration if we do not agree with their choices.”