Warwickshire County Council has overwhelmingly supported the idea of a single unitary authority rather than two new councils for north and south.

Councillors voted on three motions – statements of intent – on Tuesday with the Reform UK group in charge at Shire Hall putting forward in-principle support for one county-wide unitary, the idea that membership of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) would be "the best arrangement" in relation to devolution and recognition of the importance of current and new town and parish councils in the new set-up.

The town and parish element gained unanimous support but the votes on one or two unitaries and the WMCA divided the chamber and individual parties.

In the end, Reform comfortably secured enough backing for their motions with the Liberal Democrat opposition's amendments advocating an "open mind" on devolution options and "a balanced view" to be taken on the evidence put forward by district and borough councils on the one-two debate, which questions some of the county's data, gunned down.

There was also a Green Party amendment that made the case for asking government to halt the reorganisation process altogether, replacing it with a requirement "to merge those services which will deliver the largest efficiencies".

It gained support from just four of the 47 councillors present, perhaps a surprise given that a number of senior Reform UK councillors, including leader Cllr George Finch, had expressed regret at the two-tier system being abolished. 

"I know that some of us would rather it never happened at all, (like) I do," said Cllr Finch. 

"But make no mistake, local government is happening and we have to deal with it. The government has been very clear about that and I for one would rather we control our own destiny and shape the best solutions for our people."

One or two?

In his opening gambit, Cllr Finch said the evidence put forward by county council staff in support of a single unitary, particularly in relation to cost savings, economies of scale and the resilience of larger services currently delivered by the county council, was "overwhelming". 

The county's report estimates a £68 million benefit to going with one over the first five years and predicts that the greater need for statutory services in the north could see that area run out of money by year three if there was a north-south split.

"Only a single council will give us the financial strength and joining up of services we need to make local government in Warwickshire the best it can be," he said.

"Two unitaries guarantee poor services for those in the north because the towns and councils won't have the funding to meet the cost of serving higher needs in our areas."

Those arguments were supported by all seven Conservative and the three Labour councillors in the chamber but not every Reform UK councillor was convinced.

Cllr John Waine declared himself as "deeply opposed" to abolishing the two-tier system on the basis that decision making should be "as close as possible" to the people affected.

"Logic suggests to me that it is inevitable that the total cost of providing services must be higher than it might be under a single council," he said.

"However, personally I regard that as a price we must pay to maintain a sense of locality among residents whose taxes fund those services.

He remains unconvinced that the plans "will actually be as cost effective as the predictions made", particularly given the up-front costs, and stated his belief that a "quasi-Marxist" Labour government is going to "take no account" of the wishes of councils when deciding which model to implement. 

He added that it remains "our duty to make the best of it" and said that a north-south split would be "the least bad solution".

Cllr Waine and Reform UK colleague Cllr Nigel Golby both abstained in that vote – didn't vote either way – with the latter stating he did so "without using my emotion".

Rugby-based Cllr Stephen Pimm was the sole Lib Dem to vote for a single unitary – Rugby Borough Council has yet to state a preferred model with Warwickshire's other four districts and boroughs leaning towards a north-south split.

Independent Cllr Judy Falp and two Greens Cllr Keith Kondakor and Mark Stevens were among those to vote no but the single option gained 30 votes out of 47 with 14 against and three abstentions.

Stop the reshuffle altogether?

The Green push to ask the government to reconsider might have fallen but backing did come from one unexpected source – Cllr Waine. 

During his address, he said: "This is where I find myself surprisingly in agreement with our Green colleagues. 

"The ideal outcome would be that the cabinet declines to submit a preference because we consider the status quo, with all its faults, to be better than what the government seeks to impose."

Green group leader Cllr Jonathan Chilvers later said the tweak would allow councillors "to have your cake and eat it", preparing for a reshuffle while also telling the government it is not what the area wants.

"It is incumbent on us to point out that we don't think this is the right way forward," he said.

"The damage that this would cause, the time and effort and years this will take up, but we can still submit everything else."

Other commitments meant Cllr Chilvers had to miss the vote. The backing he got from Cllr Waine was countered by one of his own – Cllr Sam Jones – voting no. Reform-supporting independent Cllr Luke Shingler and Cllr Falp abstained.

What now? 

The outcomes will inform what the Reform UK cabinet submits in November as the county's preference.

The government will then decide between the two options set to be put forward from there. A decision is expected after the local elections in May 2026 but before parliament breaks up for the summer in mid-July.