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The defection of Shirley West Councillor Howard Allen is a further boost to the Greens, which picked up two seats at an election on May 5.
The Conservatives took back the council at the election from a coalition of the Liberal Democrats and Labour.
Cllr Allen’s support for this coalition gave it the minimum 26 councillors needed to form a coalition. He had been in the party since 2003.
The Conservatives went from 23 to 29 councillors while the Lib Dems fell from 16 to 12, now 11, at the poll.
Labour went from eight to six and The Green party went from one to three, now four.
Cllr Allen said he was attracted to the party over concern about the future of green spaces and the Parkgate redevelopment of Shirley, which is being decided at an inquiry.
He said: “I know the Green Party supports my views on this crucial issue for Shirley".
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