"Dark" and "regressive" plans to withdraw Warwickshire County Council funding from an equalities service will go forward despite warnings that it could cost more than it saves.

The ball is now rolling on Warwickshire County Council's push to axe its £135,000-per-year contribution to the Equality & Inclusion Partnership (EQuIP) after portfolio holder resources and internal affairs Cllr Mike Bannister signed off the start of a public consultation on Friday.

EQuIP is a charity that provides discrimination and hate crime support, equalities training and guidance through links to community and faith groups, businesses, schools and the public sector.

It was called the Warwickshire Race and Equality Partnership until 2017 when its remit broadened and the council funding makes up more than 60 per cent of its annual income.

The plans inspired a protest led by Warwickshire Pride, the county's primary LGBTQ+ organisation, with 30 people gathering outside waving Pride flags and banners with messages such as 'Love equality' and 'Equality and inclusion benefits everyone'.

Reform UK councillors and staff stepped out to the front of the building on more than one occasion during the half-hour protest and most of the protestors, including county and district councillors, made their way inside to witness the decision.

Warwickshire Pride chair Dan Browne, who also serves as an independent on Warwick District Council, spoke to argue the plan was "not the start of the Reform administration's assault on minority communities", citing leader Cllr George Finch's request to remove the Pride flag from outside Shire Hall last year and his public comments about Warwickshire Pride "not being a priority for funding support".

The leader was present throughout and nodded along with Mr Browne's comment about funding.

"I wonder why he chose to single out the only LGBTQ+ charity, what does that say about him? We must draw our own conclusions on that," added Mr Browne, who went on to claim that instances of hate had increased "since this administration came to power" with people "emboldened to act on their thoughts".

County councillors then majored on the point that the authority has legal duties around equality and questioned how they would be performed if the service is unable to survive the funding cull.

Cllr Tracey Drew described the idea as "staggeringly breathtaking" and suggested seeing it through could cause "immeasurable" damage to the council's reputation.

"Equality and diversity are so fundamental to professional attitudes, behaviour and practice," she said.

"With due respect, and with experience as a resident as well as a councillor, Warwickshire County Council needs to continue and enhance its learning.

"The mind boggles as to how far in the opposite direction this proposed change could take us.

"The consultation risks casting Warwickshire County Council and its work into a dark, regressive, underdeveloped and unprofessional light."

She also referenced ointing EQuIP's work on settling disputes between residents, something that would otherwise take up "countless additional hours of officer time and council services" to resolve.

"We are paying a small price for the service this is providing," she said.

Building on that, Labour group leader Councillor Sarah Feeney (Benn) argued that coordinating EQuIP's 100 volunteers is "something we would never be able to replicate as a county council".

"You are almost dependent on EQuIP to do some of the types of consultation that are needed in this space," she said.

"They get into those faith forums, setting one up in Nuneaton and disability forums in North Warwickshire and Rugby and are aiming to do one in Nuneaton & Bedworth.

"They are trusted voices in the community that can take the county council's message and discuss what residents really need."

Cllr Jennifer McAllister leant on the practicalities.

"It is a consultation on ending a service that the report itself does not say is failing," she said.

"There is nothing here to suggest that EQuIP isn't delivering, the reason given is that it is not a priority for this administration

"Let's be honest, this is a political choice, not a performance issue."

She also questioned by EQuIP was being "singled out", asking: "If we are serious about savings, where is the consistent approach?"

Cllr Bannister stressed that no decision had been made and hit back at suggestions to the contrary.

"I have a legal and public duty to approach this matter with an open mind, to listen to representations and to consider them," he said.

Highlighting the council's "significant financial pressures", he argued it was "entirely appropriate" to review such services.

"That is a legitimate question for any administration, regardless of political control," he said.

"I ran a voluntary organisation in Warwickshire for more than 30 years, the Warwickshire Employment Rights Service," he continued.

"I personally represented more than 250 tribunal cases and dealt with thousands of cases across all of the protected characteristics, I understand the subject.

"I understand why any voluntary organisation facing a review of its funding arrangements would be concerned and that there will be support, as has been shown here today, from groups who use that service or believe it to be valuable. That is entirely for them, that is democracy."

The consultation is due to start in June.