Leader of Warwickshire County Council George Finch faces a bid to remove him from office next week. 

A motion of no confidence will be tabled by Green Party group leader Councillor Jonathan Chilvers at Tuesday's meeting of full council (March 17) based on a withering assessment of the actions of Cllr Finch during his eight months in charge.

He cited Cllr Finch's "attacks on officers" and partner organisations including Warwickshire Police, "breaches of confidentiality" and his defiance of the will of council after losing votes that asked him to withdraw his letter to the government on home-to-school transport and the redeclaration of a climate emergency.

Cllr Chilvers told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "George Finch has abused the office of leader time and again, bringing Warwickshire into disrepute.

"His repeated attacks on staff, partner institutions and use of his role for constant, cheap and nasty political point scoring is unacceptable.

"That violation of law, democratic norms and basic decency leaves us as Greens unable to continue to stand by and let our British democracy get attacked and Warwickshire undermined.

"As recently as January he said he wanted boots on the necks of officers – he had the opportunity to back down on that but instead he doubled down. Attacking council officers, who of course cannot reply, is a trend that started last July when he facilitated an attack on the chief executive (Monica Fogarty).

"He asked the chief constable (of Warwickshire Police, Alex Franklin-Smith) to resign when he already knew he was stepping down, that was a deeply cynical move. He has also attacked district and borough councils, refusing to retract those comments."

Cllr Chilvers was also adamant this was no anti-Reform plot.

"This is fundamentally not about policy – this is about the behaviour of Councillor Finch in his office of leader," he insisted.

"He is breaching the British values that we all hold dear – fair play, rule of law and basic decency. He is undermining British values."

Will Finch stay or go?

Cllr Chilvers is hopeful the bid is successful but like many recent votes, it could hinge on what the Conservatives do.

With 57 councillors in total, 29 is the magic number of votes to pass the winning post on any motion but that number will come down if any councillors are not present or if they abstain – decide against voting either way – on the day.

Reform UK now has 19 councillors with the Liberal Democrats on 14, the Greens six and Labour three.

Then there is one Reform-supporting independent (Cllr Luke Shingler), another who has just left the group (Cllr Ed Harris) and one who is currently suspended by the Greens (Cllr Sam Jones).

Cllr Judy Falp has no allegiance to any of the larger groups but has either abstained or backed Liberal, Green or Labour votes since Reform took charge.

Two councillors recently ditched Reform for Restore Britain, one of whom (Cllr Scott Cameron) accused Cllr Finch of overseeing a culture of "backbiting, bullying and slander" on his way out.

That leaves the nine Tories with the weight to tip the see-saw one way or the other. They did a deal with Reform to vote through the budget last month and backed initial Reform leader Cllr Rob Howard into office only for him to last just 41 days in the post.

The Conservatives abstained in the vote for Cllr Finch to get in, one that was won through the chair's casting vote after a 23-23 draw, but abstaining this time would have the opposite effect, potentially empowering the left of the chamber to make the change.

Asked whether he anticipated being successful, Cllr Chilvers replied: "All we can do as the Green group is say that we cannot allow this to go unchallenged any more.

"It is up to the other groups in the council to decide whether they think Councillor Finch is bringing Warwickshire into disrepute or not.

"Lots of councillors have spoken out about Councillor Finch besmirching the office of leader and damaging Warwickshire and the council. I would expect a good level of support but we will have to see on the day."

What next if he does go?

Cllr Chilvers was coy on what would come next with no party in outright control.

"We're not the largest group. It will be up to Reform, the Conservatives and other groups to see if they want to put someone forward if it happens," he said.

"At the moment we are focusing on saying there are plenty of people from all the other parties who would make better leaders, and respect the office of leader more, than Councillor Finch.

"I am sure some of them would put their names in the hat if that happens."

He declined to say whether he would stand for leader.

Finch's statement

When approached for comment, Cllr Finch referred to a statement issued by Reform UK's political assistant.

It read: "This motion is not about improving Warwickshire. It is a political stunt by people more interested in removing me than in offering any serious alternative.

"We have already passed our budget and have also put forward our draft council plan through cabinet, ready for engagement with the public. This administration has a direction, a programme for government and a clear focus on delivery.

"Those trying to remove me have offered no alternative council plan and no credible answer to what replaces the work already underway.

"What is especially revealing is that the Greens and Liberal Democrats appear to be so obsessed with removing me as leader of the council that they are now willing to line up on the same side as Restore Britain councillors in pursuit of that goal.

"Residents can see what this is. It is not a serious alternative administration. It is an anti-Reform bloc held together by opposition to this administration and the change Warwickshire voted for – and by very little else.

"Warwickshire does not need a coalition of chaos between the Liberal Democrats, Greens, Labour and Restore Britain. It needs stable leadership, a clear direction and an administration focused on delivery.

"I was elected to lead this council and that is exactly what I will continue to do."