A vote to declare a climate emergency was the least likely outcome of Dorset Council's first meeting.

The item was not on the agenda – some claim senior councillors wanted to keep it off – the chairman ruled that it should not be debated...but in the end it was and 69 councillors of all political persuasions voted for the motion. Just two were against and six abstained.

Protesters and opposition councillors stood their ground and a series of procedural swerves and tactical votes managed to get, if not a debate, at least a vote.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Ireland put a straightforward motion, without debate, which simply recognised that climate change is happening and that the council agrees to declare a climate emergency – just as the protest group Extinction Rebellion had wanted.

The vote was a moment for the smaller parties in the Conservative-led council to relish but also one for the sizeable number of Tories to bask in the glory by also showing their concern. For a few moments something bigger than politics held sway.

At the end of the day the vote probably achieved little but may have re-set some established thinking and says a lot about the new council and how things might now be.

The authority will now set up a cross-party panel to look at the issues in Dorset and come up with some recommendations for future debate.

Said Cllr Ray Bryan, portfolio holder for highways, travel and environment: “We have an opportunity and an obligation to demonstrate leadership - thinking globally about the implications of climate change and acting locally to help address it in our communities.“The crucial need to tackle climate change is something that we can all agree on. It is an issue which transcends party politics and after discussions with the other group leaders we have agreed on the need to create a cross-party Panel on Climate Change to develop a policy for Dorset Council.”

One of the main speakers Caz Dennett, for Extinction Rebellion, had pushed and pushed the issue in the chamber refusing to be fobbed off with reasons why a vote could not be taken.

Speaking afterwards she said that common sense had won the day, also citing the adage: “persistence pays.”

She said she was delighted to see councillors set aside procedures for new ways of thinking: “It's action now...if we don't act now we are seriously going to run out of time and we can offer some experts to help them. We will be there to keep things going in the right direction.”

She said all of those who allowed and took the vote should be proud: “They can all go home today with a clearer conscious and look their children, or grandchildren in the eye, if they have any, and be proud of themselves for making a stand and a fresh start for Dorset Council.”