A BIG question mark was this week hanging over Dudley Council’s leadership after the local election saw Labour lose control of the authority.

Polling day losses left the borough's ruling Labour group with 35 councillors versus 29 Conservative and eight UKIP elected members leading to much speculation over whether council leader Councillor Pete Lowe can remain at the helm.

Cllr Lowe, who represents Lye and Stourbridge North, has in the meantime been re-selected as Dudley Labour group's frontman and has stated his wish to remain as leader of the cash-strapped authority.

But talks were this week continuing between all three political groups about how to proceed and UKIP's group leader on Dudley Council, councillor Paul Brothwood, has warned cllr Lowe "shouldn't be overly confident" about his chances of retaining power.

Cllr Brothwood, who was re-elected as the borough's UKIP group leader on Friday, told the News "nothing's been confirmed yet" but he was quick to rule out the possibility of UKIP forming a coalition with either Labour or the Tories after the purple party notched up an eighth seat on the council - thanks to a win for Kerry Lewis in Wordsley.

He said: "As a group we have chosen not to form any coalition with any party. We believe this is not what our voters want. UKIP will continue to provide the necessary scrutiny in Dudley Council and hold them all to account.

"If the other parties want to form a grand coalition and allow us to become the official opposition that is their choice."

However - cllr Brothwood, who represents Wordsley, stressed on Tuesday: "Talks are still ongoing. There's still lots up in the air but on May 19 all 72 councillors will have to decide whether to vote for a Conservative leader or a Labour leader."

Kingswinford South councillor Patrick Harley, who has been re-elected as leader of Dudley Conservatives, said all 3 political groups have agreed to speculative talks about how to move the dynamics of the borough forward but he said: "These things take time and have to be done right."

He said if a decision cannot be reached amicably it will go to a vote in the council chamber and he added: "Whatever happens on May 19 it has to be for the benefit of the borough not individual political groups."

Cllr Lowe said "productive discussions" had been taking place and he confirmed: "We've got no conclusion yet. Discussions continue to be had between all three parties about how we move forward for the AGM on May 19.”

Meanwhile - a former leader of the council, Tory councillor Les Jones, has urged all involved to "play grown-up politics and come to an understanding so we can have a stable administration for the next two years and make sure services for this borough are run in a stable manner".

Philip Tart, strategic director for resources and transformation at Dudley Council, said the posts of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, the cabinet and committee posts will be agreed at the annual council meeting on May 19 and until then all current cabinet positions, committee chairmanships and memberships will remain the same.