POLITICS is vicious at the moment. Brexit has divided the nation, and set politicians at each-other's throats.

But at least for now, there seems to be something approaching harmony at the top of local government in York.

Since May's local elections, City of York Council has been run by a Liberal Democrat/ Green coalition.

Lib Dem Keith Aspden is council leader; his Green counterpart Andy D'Agorne deputy leader. And the pair actually seem to get on pretty well. Their wards (Fulford and Fishergate respectively) border each-other. And for more than a year they have run regular joint constituency surgeries at St Oswald's Church.

Now they are running the council together, they don't even have separate offices - sharing a single office instead with other members of the council's Executive.

"That gives us an opportunity to have conversations that wouldn't have been possible before about areas of service provision that we'd like to improve," says Cllr Aspden.

How long this sweetness and light will last once things start to go wrong (as some things inevitably will) is anyone's guess.

But the two parties, locally, say they share many priorities: a concern for the environment; a commitment to improve basic services; a desire to do better for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups; a determination to make the York economy work better for the city's people - and a commitment to greater openness.

Of course there will be things they disagree on, admits Cllr D'Agorne. "It's like any partnership," he says. "We have a working relationship in which we want to ensure that both parties get something out of it - and that the city will benefit."

In an exclusive interview with the Press, the two leaders set out their priorities for the next four years.

Here's what they had to say...

COUNCIL ACCOUNTABILITY

The new ruling coalition hopes to introduce a 'Citizen's Consultation' - a new, representative group of York people which will scrutinise the way the council operates.

Money to set up the new body will be allocated in an emergency budget at the next full council meeting on July 17.

No decisions have yet been taken on who will be on the consultation body, how they will be chosen, how often and where they will meet, or even what the group will be called. But Cllr Aspden says it will provide an opportunity to 'look at the way the council makes decisions, and how open it is.'

He admits to being frustrated sometimes at the way the council operates. Like any big organisation, he says, sometimes it gets things wrong, or doesn't respond quickly enough. "It is our job as leader and deputy to say that, if we see something hasn't been done as well as it could be, to look at ways of improving that."

The new citizens' consultation body may be one way of getting York people involved in the discussion about how the council operates, and if there is a better way of doing things, he says. And ultimately, the body's remit could widen. "If the model is successful, there's no reason why it couldn't look at other things, such as the council budget, in future," Cllr Aspden says.

ECONOMIC STRATEGY

The new administration will be launching a new economic strategy sometime in the next few months. "It will be about making sure that big projects such as York Central and the Castle Gateway bring real benefits to local people in terms of jobs and income," Cllr Aspden says. There will also be an emphasis on making sure that local people get the training and skills they need to take advantage of new jobs, Cllr D'Agorne adds.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE LOCAL PLAN

The draft York Local Plan, which will determine the way York develops over the next 15 years and more, identifies land in and near York where new houses can be built. But throughout the lifetime of the last Conservative/ Liberal Democrat administration, there were huge rows with Labour over how many new homes were needed. Labour insisted York needed more than 1,000 new homes every year to meet housing need. The Lib Dem/ Conservative administration which put together the draft plan, however, insisted that 870 new homes a year would be enough.

That figure may soon drop even further, to 790 homes a year, because the council has decided it wants to remove the Queen Elizabeth barracks site that the draft plan initially allocated as housing land. That proposed change is now being consulted on.

But do the council's new leaders really believe that 790 new homes a year in York will be enough to meet demand?

They seem to. There is a desperate need for more affordable homes, Cllr D'Agorne says. "But allowing investment developers to provide housing outside the ring road (ie away from the city centre) isn't going to address that issue," he said.

Cllr Aspden claims that Labour attempts to introduce stricter requirements on the number of 'affordable' homes in new developments led to a big drop in the total number of homes being built - down from about 800 a year under a previous Lib Dem council to more like 400 a year under Labour.

So what is the answer to getting more affordable homes in York?

Looking at alternative ways of providing new homes, such as the YorSpace commumnity-led plans for new homes at Lowfield Green, says Cllr D'Agorne. And accelerating the building of new council homes, says Cllr Aspden.

We may also need to look at much more radical ways of housing people, adds Cllr D'Agorne: such as Homeshare, in which older people with rooms to spare offer them to younger people in return for 10 hours of care a week and some companionship.

YORK CENTRAL

York Press:

Artist's impression of how York Central might look

When the council granted outline planning permission for the redevelopment of York Central - the huge area of old railway land behind the railway station - several well-respected York organisations (including York Civic Trust and the York Environment Forum ) called for the decision to be reviewed by government planning inspectors. They said there were 'considerable concerns' about the scheme's impact on transport, heritage and the city's economy.

The government decided not to 'call in' the scheme for a public inquiry, however.

Cllr Aspden is relieved. Delays caused by an inquiry could have risked York losing millions in public funding for the scheme - and put the whole development in doubt, he says.

The plans involve up to 2,500 homes and 86,600 square metres of office space. "After decades of talking about it, we need to deliver it for the city," Cllr Aspden says.

That doesn't mean the development will be rushed through, or that there will be a 'lowest common denominator' approach which will sacrifice quality to profit, he insists.

None of the detail for York Central has yet been decided - a series of further 'reserved matters' planning applications will need to be submitted, each of which will be put out to consultation. So there will be every opportunity to make improvements to the scheme - with both the council and other members of the York Central Partnership, including Homes England and the National Railway Museum, committed to making York Central the best it can be.

We need to make sure we deliver the houses, jobs and commercial space that York Central will make possible, Cllr Aspden says. "But absolutely it (the proposal) can always be improved."

Cllr D'Agorne also insists that York Central must be all about quality. "It should be a real examplar, not just for York but for the country," he says.

GREEN ISSUES

As long ago as March, the council declared a 'climate emergency', and committed to York carbon neutral by 2030.

It's a top priority for both the Greens and Lib Dems. The new administration has set up a new climate change committee which will look at how this can be achieved.

York Central will be a good place to try to introduce some more environmental approaches to transport, Cllr Aspden says. "It is about making sure there are better options in terms of walking, cycling and public transport. It is not about forcing or telling people, but about making sure that there are viable choices."

Cllr D'Agorne is also keen that York learns from other councils over best policies on a 'green economy'. The council can set an example itself,Cllr Aspden says - by ensuring that its council housing stock is properly insulated and efficiently heated, for example. It can also exert some control through planning to encourage other new developments to be more energy efficient. Expect to see some of that at York central...

SOCIAL INCLUSION

One other commitment Cllr Aspden and Cllr D'Agorne say they share is to increasing social inclusion and community engagement.

They want to expand on the work of ward committees to give local people more say on how council money is spent in their neighbourhood. And they're also determined to focus more on services for young people, vulnerable adults and elderly people - something as a society we don't talk enough about, Cllr Aspden says.

THE LEADERS

York Press:

Keith Aspden, left, and Andy D'Agorne

Keith Aspden, 38, single. Trained as a history teacher in York and has taught at Norton College and Tadcaster Grammar School.

He was suspended from the council over allegations he had a close connection with an applicant for a council job, and that he brought hard copies of job applications into a pub. After a lengthy investigation that cost local taxpayers £84,000, however, he was cleared earlier this year and resumed his council duties. It was an 'incredibly difficult period of time', he admits. But it gave him an insight into how some of the council's processes and procedures could impact on people. "I have experienced that. We have to be more aware of the impact on people and communities."

Andy D'Agorne, 64, partner to fellow Green councillor Denise Craghill.

A retired York College careers adviser who has been a councillor since 2003 and has a long record of campaigning on Green and transport issues. He once had to be removed by police while protesting against the felling of ancient copper beech trees at a private care home in Fulford.