The leader of Warwickshire County Council believes Reform UK will "wipe the floor" with political rivals in next year's local elections.

Cllr George Finch made the prediction on the back of his party sweeping to power at Shire Hall – albeit without an outright majority – from a standing start earlier this year. 

Two of Warwickshire's five district or borough councils – Rugby and Nuneaton & Bedworth – are holding ballots for some seats in 2026 with Cllr Finch anticipating another turquoise takeover. 

Fielding a question on his ambitions for the local party at a county council press conference, Cllr Finch replied: "We are very lucky to have 23 councillors and form an administration.

"That's one of our best achievements, going from no support in the area to then having 23 is an amazing achievement and just goes to show the change politically in Warwickshire.

"When it comes to the elections next year in Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council and Rugby Borough Council, I think we are going to wipe the floor there. When it comes to unitary (elections to new councils, potentially in 2027) we will see, we might have a majority.

"I don't want to get into the politics of it but there are certain political parties that have (maximised) their seat gain. Reform hasn't, we can keep growing and that is what we are going to be doing."

Rugby runs with three councillors representing each of its 14 wards with one up for election in every year that county elections are not held. 

The political balance is split tight with Labour in charge despite being the second-largest party with 15 seats.

That has been achieved with support from the Liberal Democrats who hold 10, ousting the Conservatives from power in 2024 despite them still holding 17 seats.

Of the seats up for grabs in 2026, five are currently held by the Tories, five by Labour and four by the Lib Dems. They include the seats of leader Cllr Michael Moran, deputy leader of the opposition Cllr Ian Picker and portfolio holder for operations and traded services Cllr Alison Livesey.

It means at least 12 will be held by the Conservatives, 10 by Labour and six by the Liberals whatever happens in those ballots.

Reform UK didn't stand in any of those seats in 2022 but did contest a by-election in one of them this year. Dan Glover, who was one of two Rugby candidates to win election to Warwickshire County Council, missed out on the borough seat for New Bilton & Overslade to Labour's Councillor Angela Thompson by just 56 votes (466 to 410). 

Nuneaton & Bedworth is now also under no overall control with Labour running a minority administration.

Boundary changes in 2024 saw all 38 seats – two in each of the 19 wards – contested with the first-placed finishers securing a four-year term and those in second getting just two years.

Labour initially held the slimmest of majorities with 20 seats but Cllr Will Markham crossed the floor and joined the Conservatives – the party of his wife, Cllr Sue Markham, herself a former cabinet member at county level – in December 2024. 

Fellow Heath member Councillor Rob Roze then quit Labour to stand as an independent in July this year, leaving Labour with 18 seats, the Tories on 17 and the Green Party on two. 

The 2026 elections will see nine Labour, eight Conservative, one Green and the independent seats fought over. Four of Labour's six cabinet members will need to win ballots to continue. 

Reform UK did not contest any borough seats in 2024 but won 11 – effectively 12 with independent Cllr Luke Shingler, initially standing for Reform before work commitments precluded him from representing any political party – out of 13 seats in the 2025 county council elections. The return of Cllr Keith Kondakor (was the only setback. 

With half of the seats available and the political balance as it is, another near-clean sweep could see Reform become the biggest party.

Cllr Finch was later asked what he would like his legacy to be. He added: "A better deal for Warwickshire, making sure people get a better bang for their buck.

"That's the most important part, isn't it, they pay their council tax and they actually get sorted the things that they want doing."