For 16 years, Southwark Liberal Democrats have stood up for residents and held Labour to account. In May, voters sent a clear message: Southwark needed change.

The election ended Labour’s majority and left the council in No Overall Control. That presented us with a choice. We could stand aside, prop up a tired and failed administration, or work with others to deliver the change residents had voted for.

We chose change.

For the first time in 16 years, Liberal Democrats have returned to administration in Southwark through a Joint Administration with the Southwark Green Party.

Many Liberal Democrats will understandably have questions about working with the Green Party. Recent events elsewhere in London have highlighted serious concerns around antisemitism among some Green Party members and councillors. Those concerns were among the very first issues we addressed.

We made clear that there can be no tolerance for antisemitism or any form of racism. We sought assurances from the Southwark Green Party, which is distinct from some of the problems seen elsewhere, and together we have committed to tackling antisemitism and all forms of hatred. These principles will underpin our programme for the borough.

Most importantly, this agreement gives us the opportunity to put Liberal Democrat values into practice in the heart of London.

Together, we have set out seven priorities: making Southwark more affordable; taking serious action on climate change; tackling the housing crisis; creating safer streets; cleaning up our neighbourhoods; defending Southwark from Labour’s damaging cuts; and building a council that listens and gives residents more control over decisions affecting their communities.

That final priority is perhaps the most Liberal Democrat of all.

For too long, power in Southwark has become concentrated in the Town Hall. We want to reverse that. We will restore community councils, make services more accessible and give residents a greater say over the places they call home.

This partnership is not about party advantage. It is about putting residents first.

Southwark faces huge challenges. More than 23,000 households are on the housing waiting list and 4,300 children are living in temporary accommodation. Residents are frustrated by dirty streets, fly-tipping and crime. The Regulator of Social Housing has identified serious failings in the council’s housing service. Doing nothing was not an option.

I am thrilled that we have been able to put party politics aside to put residents first. Together, we will focus on fixing housing, making our streets cleaner and safer, and building a council that listens and delivers for local people.

At a time when Liberal Democrats are debating how to become more relevant in Britain’s cities, Southwark offers an exciting opportunity and mini blueprint.

If we want voters to believe in liberal solutions, we have to show that they work. We have to demonstrate that communities can be empowered, that public services can be responsive and that councils can govern differently.

Southwark is one of Britain’s most diverse and dynamic boroughs. If we can deliver here, we can help show what liberal politics can achieve in our great cities.

Residents voted for change. Now it is our responsibility to deliver it.

* Victor Chamberlain is the Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader of Southwark Council, Vice Chair of Federal Council and Liberal Democrat Vice Chair of the Neighbourhoods Committee at the Local Government Association