The new leader of Warwickshire County Council's Conservative group has defended supporting Reform UK into power despite knowing "very little" about their plans.

On Friday, Reform's Cllr Rob Howard was elected as the authority's new leader after the Tories supported the newcomers to take political charge. 

Reform won the most seats at the recent local elections – 22 but in effect 23 with one of the group's councillors standing as an independent for now due to complications related to his job – but fell short of the 29 required for a majority. 

The Conservatives, in power before the ballots, ended up with nine councillors and their votes were enough to give Reform a crack at running the show. 

It means Reform will form a cabinet – panel of councillors in charge of major service areas – although the biggest policy decisions will still go to a vote for all councillors where support from the Conservatives, or elsewhere, will still be needed. 

As for the Conservatives, despite being the third-largest party in terms of seats, they will chair four of the five scrutiny panels that have been settled so far. 

Overview and scrutiny committees are bodies of councillors that oversee the work of the council and relevant partner organisations. 

They make recommendations to those running the show and while they don't have to be accepted, they are seen as having soft power with the influence now potentially greater due to the council being in no overall control. 

Each is politically balanced based on the seats a party holds and by voting together, Reform backed the Tories for a number of positions. 

Cllr Andy Crump used to be responsible for fire and rescue and community safety, now he will oversee the resources, fire and rescue scrutiny panel. 

Another ex-cabinet member Cllr Yousef Dahmash chairs the children and young people panel, a particularly important one that looks at education, including special educational needs and disabilities.

Cllr Jo Barker will lead the adult social care and health panel with Cllr Chris Mills, who chaired the whole council until May, leading the communities committee.

It led to suggestions of some form of alliance but Cllr Adrian Warwick, the new Conservative leader at Shire Hall, stressed no deal had been done with Reform and that support for policies or decisions would be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

Asked how receptive Reform had been during negotiations, he replied: "I wouldn't call it negotiation, we were very clear where we were.

"Looking at the votes for the vice-chair, the vote for leader and then for the panels, there didn't seem to be any unity on the left. The council has to function. 

"We sit as eight experienced and one extremely good new councillor, the group has experience across the board at Warwickshire County Council and we will hold this new administration to account. 

"It is a shame because I quite liked it as it was. We have run extremely well as a council for the past eight years, we have lost an exceptional leader in Izzi Seccombe and some really experienced councillors but Reform won the popular vote, it is now up to them to deliver on their promises to the electorate. If they don't, we will hold them to account."

Asked what he knew and made of Reform's plans, Cllr Warwick said he had been told "very little" but insisted the results meant the biggest party should have a shot at power. 

"As a party and as elected members, we respect democracy," he added.

"The popular vote was for Reform and if we as members don't respect democracy then nobody can."

He added: "Elsewhere in the county there are formal confidence and supply arrangements, here there is not.

"I would much rather have had a Conservative administration but we were second in the popular vote and that gives me some confidence for the future that we can bring forward our narrative and show that the Conservative party is still the party of the people and the best option."

With Cllr Howard absent from the annual council meeting, the new cabinet has yet to be announced but Cllr Warwick confirmed the Conservatives would not be taking places at the top table, even if offered. 

"We will not be putting members on the administration because we are not in a coalition or a confidence and supply arrangement," he said.

"As group leader, I would not put members of my group into the administration."

Reform UK councillors declined to field questions when approached.