The leader of Warwickshire County Council has dismissed accusations of "child-like" behaviour and questions over his demeanour as political point scoring. 

Cllr George Finch was criticised during scrutiny of the authority's controversial new flag policy for not defending chief executive Monica Fogarty from being vilified by national party figures when she refused to take down the Progress Pride flag.

Referring back to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage MP, suggesting it was "time (Ms Fogarty) looked for a new job", Cllr Judy Falp argued that the "matter was handled very badly".

"For a party leader to back his member in uncalled-for, unjust and unfair criticism of our chief executive was totally unacceptable," she said.

"For the leader of our council to not support an officer when they were being treated like this was not a well thought-out decision. It seemed more like that he didn't like being told he could not do something.

"I am trying not to say child-like but I will do. Child-like, 'my friends are doing it', sending out totally the wrong message to staff and to the public."

In the same meeting, Cllr Sam Jones accused Cllr Finch of "rolling his eyes and shaking his head" during a statement read out on behalf of a member of the public.

Cllr Finch visibly shook his head at that point to deny that suggestion but Cllr Jones doubled down. 

"I was looking directly at you because I wanted to see your reaction," he said, presenting that as evidence of a "wider issue".

"I am compelled to show you respect in this chamber and think the best of you but I am running out of explanations for your behaviour," Cllr Jones continued.

"We used to arrest and even castrate people for being gay in this country, and we did it in living memory. Raising the Pride flag is the promise that we as custodians of this council make to do all we can to ensure we never return to those days when some people had to hide from the world. 

"It doesn't take a genius to work out that raising the flag of the country that did the castrating and imprisoning and denying the raising of a Pride flag alongside it does not send out the most welcoming of messages, particularly when that message is coming from your party."

Cllr David Curtis cited the impact on staff and that he had "heard first-hand already that some officers who are members of the LGBTQ+ community now feel a covert threat towards them".

"They do not now feel welcomed in this place of work," he said.

"My concern is that if we want the council to deliver the best possible services to its residents, we need to be able to retain and recruit the best possible staff. This does not help that." 

Cllr Mike Bannister led the defence of the policy with other cabinet members present, including Cllr Finch, opting against making comment when afforded the opportunity.

Cllr Finch did respond later when committee member Cllr Neil Garland asked for his take on "multiple attacks on our leader, his character, his facial (expressions), et cetera."

The leader replied: "I do find it very disappointing but I am very professional. Like the chief executive advised us from day one, we will be playing the game not the person, not attacking individual councillors.

"The chair has been very good and gracious in what he has done and I thank him for that but we have to note this for next time. Language is very important." 

Subsequently, Cllr Finch told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the remarks were a sign of "an opposition in chaos".

"We're meant to hold ourselves to a higher standard than that and that was let slip," he said.

"They were playing political football, it was very unprofessional and there was no need. I hope that future council meetings will be a lot smoother."

Asked whether he would have handled the situation with Ms Fogarty differently with the benefit of hindsight, Cllr Finch replied: "The new administration came in with new ideas to what the council had before. That's life and that happens sometimes.

"Monica and I work really well together and we have some really good officers at this council, they work really hard and are there answering messages late. They work as hard as I do and are the backbone of this council. 

"I would always have stuck with the instruction. When it comes to situations where an elected member asks for something (and it doesn't happen), that raises alarm bells."

He added: "The policy is there to clear up any grey area and is a great way to represent all of the people of Warwickshire."