Reform UK was willing to raise Warwickshire County Council's portion of council tax by 4.49 per cent to resolve last week's budget impasse – and the deputy leader "would be happy" to do so again.

Thursday's meeting to set the 2026-27 budget ended in a fraught stalemate after more than 10 hours of different parties, none of which have outright control of the authority, presenting their respective cases and negotiating behind closed doors. 

The council's finance professionals recommended taking the maximum council tax rise available – 4.99 per cent – amid increasing demand for and pressures on expensive services like education, home-to-school transport and social care.

Reform UK, in charge day to day but reliant on no resistance from other parties to vote big things through, made a big push on limiting the rise to 3.89 per cent, cutting £20.05 per year from the rise experienced by an average Band D household but at a combined cost to the council of £26 million over the next five years.

That would have added extra pressure to a five-year plan that already requires savings of £95 million a year by the time it ends.

The Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Labour all advocated taking the recommended 4.99 per cent to protect as many services as possible while the Conservatives nudged down to 4.89 per cent.

Attempts for all five groups to compromise ended up drifting towards opposite corners with second in command and portfolio holder for finance and property Cllr Stephen Shaw telling the Local Democracy Reporting Service that his party had given up more than half the ground between the two most distant positions.

However, after four-and-a-half hours of private talks, the Tories and Reform UK offered no alternatives while the Lib Dems, Greens and Labour joined forces with a plan that was narrowly gunned down by 25 votes to 23, the Tories unhappy at not seeing it until such a late stage.

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Conservative group leader Cllr Adrian Warwick said "the onus is on Reform to come forward with a practical budget", adding that they had "come up" on council tax but "whether they had come up enough, I don't know".

He placed great stock on Reform's plans not factoring in the "golden rule" of leaving one per cent of wiggle room for unknown pressures.

Leader Cllr George Finch has since taken to social media to throw down the gauntlet to the Tories to "support the Reform budget" when the adjourned meeting reconvenes next week (Tuesday, February 17).

His right-hand man Cllr Shaw said Reform's position was still subject to a "discussion we are having over the next couple of days or so" but that he believed 4.49 per cent was best. 

He claimed the Lib Dems had "shut up shop" and wanted to "spend money left, right and centre", also taking aim at the Labour-led government.

"They have not gone down the route of modifying any policies to make sure costs are under control, they keep chucking money at problems," he argued.

Cllr Shaw did not wish to speak for the Conservatives but said their proposed council tax position last week was "just a bit above us".

"I completely understand where they are coming from, it has to be fiscally responsible," he said.

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"I have been saying that to our group, we need that with long-term strategic planning which we are working on over the next 12 months. Some people in the cabinet are doing work on that already and I have done some of my stuff. 

"A sensible budget at this point would be at 4.49. Some of our group want to go lower but I think putting that strategic plan in place is the main thing for us. 

"We need to be a low-tax party but also fiscally responsible to make sure services aren't being cut left, right and centre.

"I know Worcestershire (County Council) is having a tough time, we have to make sure we keep this council financially sound and that years down the line Warwickshire has the best services it can possibly have at the best price."

Asked where he thought the county council's tax rate would end up, Cllr Shaw replied: "There will be discussions with all the different parties. Me personally, I would be happy at 4.49.

"It is our first year as a minority administration, I think it would be a sensible figure that is very achievable, especially with the SEND white paper coming through.

"It is something we can work with. It takes some of the pressures off further down the line and at 4.49 it is still lower council tax (increase) for our residents, not the 4.99 that the Labour government wants us to do and that the Lib Dems wanted us to go to."