Cllr George Finch is bracing himself for a second challenge to his leadership of Warwickshire County Council but insists: "The public wants me."

Cllr Finch survived a vote of no confidence by just one vote in March 2026 after the Green Party led a push to oust him over "attacks on officers" and partner organisations including Warwickshire Police, "breaches of confidentiality" and his defiance of the will of council.

He won through blanket support from Reform colleagues plus six out of the nine Conservative councillors at Shire Hall. The Tories said the move was "premature" ahead of conduct complaints against Cllr Finch being concluded.

Since then, independent investigations have found that Cllr Finch breached the county's code of conduct twice, once in releasing confidential information that "could have jeopardised a child rape case" and then in his dealings with chief executive Monica Fogarty over flying the Pride flag, but both were overturned by a panel thanks to the votes of Cllr Yousef Dahmash and Cllr John Waine.

In July's council meeting, Cllr Nicki Scott said staff had reported that they were "scared to work" at the council as a result of the culture fostered by Reform, something Cllr Finch denied and dismissed as a platform to try to topple him again.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "I really don't like how they keep moaning, but this isn't the staff. Councillors are creating this environment to score political points to lead up to something bigger.

"The Greens and the Lib Dems will put in a vote of no confidence. Maybe not in September but one will come and there is no reason to take me out other than political disagreements and trying to usurp the administration.

"They don't like the way I do it."

The leader indicated it was really about objecting to his positions on library displays, cracking down on vape shops and trying to reverse the council's climate emergency declaration "because they are left leaning".

"Give me an actual reason, what I am doing wrong other than political differences," he said.

"There is nothing. Code of conduct complaints, neither upheld. Do it again, find me another one.

"What have I actually done since March (the last vote of no confidence)? Do it. Take me out, but you will not be on the side of the public.

"Like I said to them then, see you in 2027 at the next election.

"It will be purely undemocratic and if they succeed and I will be worried about the future of Warwickshire. I already am (worried) about the finances in the north, but a Lib Dem-Green-Labour coalition? I'd be worried."

It emerged after the last vote of no confidence that Reform's head of local government and ex-Conservative MP Ben Bradley and serving MP Richard Tice instructed the party's Warwickshire councillors to stand by Cllr Finch as group leader, even if that meant giving up power.

That did not go down well with some councillors, including Councillor Dan Glover (New Bilton & Overslade) who is one of four to defect from Reform to Restore Britain.

However, Cllr Finch says he will not move aside if a fresh confidence vote ends badly for him.

"No other political party will force us to change," he said.

"We have elections in 2027. If they find I am not fit to be leader that is up to the council but I will continue to serve as group leader."

Asked whether he has the full confidence of everyone in his group, Cllr Finch replied: "Yes.

"We are doing a really good job. People are energised. Yes, we may have lost four councillors (to Restore Britain) but we have a good, close-knit team, a good cabinet. We are working more efficiently, we keep battling on and we enjoy that.

"They (opponents) tried to beat us at the ballot box, clearly failed, and they will try to do it elsewhere.

"They tried to take me out in March and I won (a seat on Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council) in May with the largest majority of a Reform councillor in Warwickshire. Again, the public wants me."