Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch is facing a second code of conduct hearing today (Monday) over a complaint brought by his own chief executive.

It relates to last summer's furore over whether the Progress Pride flag should fly from Shire Hall when Cllr Finch asked chief executive Monica Fogarty to take it down prior to the end of Pride month (June), a request that she knocked back.

The Telegraph published an email from Ms Fogarty which stated she would "not be taking the action you are requesting", wording that was referred to by Reform's Zia Yusuf and then party leader Nigel Farage MP in criticising her position in social media videos, including Mr Farage's assertion that it was "time she looked for a new job" in a storm that rumbled on and on.

Ms Fogarty filed a code of conduct complaint which was taken forward to an independent investigation conducted by Claire Ward of Birmingham-based law firm Anthony Collins.

In Ms Ward's report, she says Ms Fogarty referenced "a number of things that happened which were played out publicly and/or visibly in the council which tested her resilience".

Although it recognises both the leader and chief executive state they now have a better relationship, Ms Fogarty "feels that what happened to her over this period needs to be acknowledged by Councillor Finch and that he needs to publicly apologise for his conduct which fell below the standards expected towards her".

Part of Cllr Finch's defence in that same report states his belief that his communications were "professional, proportionate and consistent with modern practice" and "addressed institutional behaviour, not personal character, and his criticisms were made in the exercise of legitimate political speech".

Ms Ward found that Cllr Finch had breached one standard in the council's code of conduct, to "value colleagues and staff and engage with them in an appropriate manner and one that underpins the mutual respect between us that is essential to good local government".

Download our Mobile App!

She has ruled that the breach relates to Cllr Finch failing to engage with Ms Fogarty on the removal of the flag.

The investigation found no breach in relation to two further accusations. Cllr Finch was found not to have bullied, harassed or unlawfully discriminated against anyone or sought to have compromised the impartiality of officers. He was also found not to have failed to "always treat people with respect".

Warwickshire county councillors have the right to challenge independent investigation findings in a hearing in front of three members of the council's audit and standards committee.

Last month, Cllr Finch successfully overturned an independent finding that he had risked jeopardising a child rape case in communications published on social media and this second case is being heard by the same three councillors – Cllr John Waine, Cllr Yousef Dahmash and Cllr Richard Dickson.

The June hearing was held behind closed doors but this time, no objection was received by Cllr Finch, Ms Fogarty or Ms Ward in relation to the hearing taking place in public and it got underway at 2.30pm on Monday, July 20.

Cllr Finch is known to be facing a third external investigation having taken responsibility for publishing a defamatory mock-up of political rival Cllr Jan Matecki on social media.