Questions over whether a Warwickshire councillor has taken on too much with a doubled-up cabinet role have been dismissed as "quite rude" by his leader.

Cllr Wayne Briggs had responsibility for children and families added to his existing education portfolio during leader Cllr George Finch's cabinet reshuffle in May.

Having won the leadership of Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council on top of his county duties, Cllr Finch lightened his load by giving up responsibility for children and families but opted against adding a 10th member to his cabinet – the panel of councillors in charge of the county's major service areas.

Instead, Cllr Briggs was tasked with taking on the combined role.

The education post sees him placed in charge of the organisation, sufficiency planning and governance of schools, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and inclusion, early years and post-16 education, apprenticeships and training, links with further and higher education and adult and community education.

Added to that, he now has overall responsibility for the co-ordination of children's services with "specific responsibility" for child protection and safeguarding, children placed in the council's care and care leavers, child exploitation, family support and social care for children with disabilities, child and adolescent mental health services, youth justice and children and family centres.

In the public-facing meeting at which the change was announced, Cllr Nicki Scott sought to ask a question "about the children and families section" but Cllr Finch exercised his discretion not to field it.

At last week's meeting of cabinet, Cllr Keith Kondakor queried whether Cllr Briggs would have the "capacity to deliver".

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"I am very worried that you are effectively running two portfolios," he said.

"You are getting two jobs for the price of one as a cabinet member. Have you got the capacity to take this forward or are you going to have an understudy to help you with this? In terms of the bandwidth to do it."

As leader, Cllr Finch is chair of cabinet meetings with Cllr Briggs extending the courtesy of asking whether he was clear to respond.

Cllr Finch replied: "Yeah, I was going to say it is quite rude in a way."

Cllr Briggs said: "I don't mind answering it but I don't think it is the forum, it is a bit off-topic."

Cllr Finch then passed comment. "The portfolio holder for education, children and families has previously been one person, there is nothing new there," he said.

"You have been a councillor for a number of years now, you must have known that before you asked the question.

"I think Councillor Briggs is doing an amazing job, I will be working with him and the team will be working with everyone. That is the whole point of a cabinet, which the Greens will never ever see in Warwickshire County Council."

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