The Reform UK leadership at Warwickshire County Council has promised an "open-door policy" to those who feel dismayed by its position on asylum seekers.

At a press conference last week, leader Cllr George Finch and deputy Cllr Stephen Shaw unveiled plans to push for greater efficiencies but also urged national government to cough up more cash.

The narrative spread beyond Warwickshire's borders with suggestions that central funding should be axed for net zero and diversity initiatives as well as support for asylum seekers and migrants who enter the UK illegally. 

'Mess up' on A46 'won't happen again'

There was a focus on Warwickshire's own spending with Cllr Shaw keen to clobber any "contracts that are taking the mickey out of the council".

He is vowing to push for "special stipulations" to prevent repeats of cost overruns on projects, specifically citing the problems on the 'Bridge to Nowhere' over the A46 at Stoneleigh. 

"That has been a massive mess up across the board," he said. 

"The council has to learn lessons from this and it won't happen again, we can't keep having projects going way over budget."

He added that main contractors Colas "have not been very helpful on that front". 

Cllr Finch highlighted a continued push for efficiency from private providers on home-to-school transport and places for children placed under the care of the council, work that got underway during the previous Conservative administration, while Cllr Shaw said income generation would play an important part too.

"There is a flow of work going through so we are not just reliant on council tax and business rates," he said.

"It has to be treated as a business and like you are spending your own money. The whole point is to get back to basics and get the services right first."

However, at that point attention turned to matters on which council's control is more limited.

Cllr Shaw continued: "Forget net zero and stuff like that. Some other parties want a nice warm feeling because they think they are saving the world and that Warwickshire can save the world – that's a dream, it isn't going to happen. 

"We need to get back to basics and look after the people of Warwickshire from the start. That's what people are worried about, they feel they haven't been listened to for the past couple of decades at least and that their money is being wasted.

"Even at a national level, if you see what comes out of your tax and where it goes like asylum seekers, the hotels, getting free healthcare, people think it is an absolute waste of money.

"They have no confidence in this country's government at the moment. This is why we want to put trust back into Warwickshire with the goals that we have. 

"Hopefully councillors from other parties will support us on this journey and don't think of it politically, (instead) think that they are doing it for the good of Warwickshire."

Finch: Asylum issue impacts 'bigger picture' 

It is a stance that has collected momentum and support but there have also been protests at and outside Shire Hall over Reform's local and national position, particularly when a row over which flags were allowed to be flown from council buildings erupted. 

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked how the debate over asylum seekers relates to the council's spending. 

Cllr Finch acknowledged that the county's role was limited to the care of unaccompanied asylum seeking children "which is pretty reasonable" but argued that it was important to look at "the bigger picture".

"You have to deal with the deep-rooted problem," he said.

"If national government stopped spending the amount of money they have on bringing in illegal immigrants, giving them free stuff, if they saved that money they could stick that into SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) provision. It is about priorities.

"In Bedworth I have a child aged 12 who is non-verbal and cannot get to school. We have to support those children to have a future but we are too busy focusing on people who come here illegally. 

"Speak to people on the doorsteps, they will tell you where their priorities lie and it is not with housing illegal immigrants in HMOs (shared houses) or hotels."

Cllr Shaw added: "The country is being seen as a massive soft touch. Where could you go tomorrow if you didn't like England anymore and get free accommodation, free healthcare, free food?"

Bridging the gap or widening the gulf?

Asked whether, as the leadership, they felt they had a duty to bridge the gap between what appear to be increasingly polarised opinions, and perhaps even soften their own language, Cllr Finch replied: "The political dynamic of Warwickshire has changed significantly.

"North Warwickshire voted urgently for Reform, you had other pockets of Reform. We came second in most seats, there are people crying out for this. A good 600-700 people voted in each ward.

"Reform is at the helm, Reform is in control of the administration so we will steer the council in the way we want to go.

"If the Lib Dems (had won the leadership), would they have supported us writing letters to boroughs to stop asylum seekers (being housed)? No, they wouldn't."

He said that representation of all views can be reflected by full council but insisted that Reform "represents all people in Warwickshire".

Put to him that some sections of the community wish to be welcoming to asylum seekers or see the Ukraine flag flown from council buildings as a show of support, Cllr Finch replied: "That's democracy.

"That's the first-past-the-post system that has not allowed parties like ours and the Lib Dems to do well in the past – now it has flipped on its head, 'oh no, this is bad'."

Cllr Shaw made the case to consider British people who have been hit by rising living costs and feel like they are not being listened to.

"This is what we are here for – the main party and in Warwickshire – to support these people and do what is best for them," he said.

"It is not about far-right, far-left or anything else. If you try to please everyone you'll end up pleasing no one, you have to look after the majority of people who support you and have voted us in.

"Getting seven out of seven seats in North Warwickshire was no fluke. People wanted change, that is what we are here for.

"We have an open-door policy. If people want to discuss things with us, we will sit down and be diplomatic, we will talk to people.

"You are not going to agree on everything, we don't in our party but we don't throw our toys out of the pram, we come up with solutions for the party, the council and the residents. That's the grown-up way of doing it."