Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch has been warned to expect a fresh bid to oust him next week – and four former colleagues will not be backing him.

Cllr Finch survived a vote of no confidence in his leadership by one vote – 27-26 – in March thanks to support from six Conservative councillors and two from Restore Britain not voting either way.

Restore's representation is now up to four councillors, each of whom defected from Reform UK, with deputy group leader Cllr Scott Cameron declaring they will not back Cllr Finch if, as they expect, the Green Party brings a fresh bid leadership challenge to next Thursday's full council meeting (September 24).

Green group leader Cllr Jonathan Chilvers would not confirm or deny any intention to table the motion, stating it would be "inappropriate" to comment. It is likely that all business for the meeting will be published on the council website on Thursday (September 17).

What is known is that Reform UK, Conservative and Restore councillors have been discussing the prospect and what they may do since the end of August with Cllr Finch informed he would not be able to rely on Restore's support.

Any vote would be settled by a simple majority with any councillors not present or abstaining – not voting either way – reducing the number of votes required to win.

Restore's influence is significant with 17 Reform councillors, two supportive independents and up to six out of nine Conservatives limiting Cllr Finch to 25 out of the 29 votes he could need to stay in power.

The Liberal Democrats (14), Green (6) and Labour (3) councillors hold 23 of the potential votes with two other independents in the chamber.

That leaves three more Tories – Cllr Jan Matecki voted against Cllr Finch last time, while Cllr Chris Mills and Cllr Dean Richards were not present – and the Restore quartet as potential kingmakers.

Restore's position

Cllr Cameron told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Restore's councillors would be free to vote with their consciences but that the group had agreed not to support Cllr Finch.

The dilemma now is whether to abstain again, potentially opening the door for him to stay, or to vote him out.

He said that he and group leader Cllr Luke Cooper had warned Cllr Finch he was "in the last chance saloon" after March's vote and that any further code of conduct complaints, instances of bringing the council into disrepute or "chasing the media instead of doing your job as leader" would see them support any future challenge.

"He understood this and shook our hands," said Cllr Cameron.

"We considered that a gentleman's agreement which he has failed to honour."

He added that Cllr Finch had been cleared of conduct breaches "only because there was a Reform councillor and a Conservative councillor" on the panel and argued the leader had failed in his duty to value colleagues and treat them with respect in an online broadcast for Reform UK where he made derogatory remarks about Green Party councillors, suggesting they were unhygienic.

"He's publicly stated that the people want him – in my ward I can assure you that they do not," said Cllr Cameron.

"Residents and parish councillors overwhelmingly ask that we get rid of him this time. Similar has been said in other parts of the county."

Cllr Finch said the handshakes after the last vote of no confidence were to thank Restore councillors for not voting him out with no further conversations held over his conduct, while the comments he made about Green councillors in a broadcast promoting litter picks should be viewed as "a humorous joke", insisting they were not in his capacity as leader of the council.

Call for a 'credible' alternative

Cllr Cameron insists Restore's position is not to oust Reform from power but centres around Cllr Finch's conduct.

"We do not consider him a credible leader," he said.

"If they put forward a credible alternative we will not oppose them. This is not a ploy to get Reform out, it is not a personal vendetta, it is based purely on the facts in front of us. The current leader of the council is unsuitable to be in the position he is in."

Nevertheless, he says the "Nuneaton & Bedworth blob" and a minority of Reform's North Warwickshire councillors remain "hellbent on backing George", putting Restore in an uncomfortable position.

Put to him that any principled stance would have to be backed up by voting decisively and not abstaining, Cllr Cameron replied: "If Reform put up a suitable candidate, he would be out, no problem at all.

"If Reform do what they did last time and unequivocally back George – and I am being told that is what they will do, that even if he's voted out they will back him to be leader again straightaway – then the other option is a Lib Dem minority administration or a crazy coalition of Lib Dems, Green and Labour with Sarah Boad as leader. None of us in Restore Britain are going to allow that and this is where we are in a tricky situation.

"Voting for George keeps him in. Voting against puts Sarah in. If we abstain, we're doing neither.

"We do not want to enable a left-wing coalition when that is not what the Warwickshire electorate voted for.

"We will keep our cards close to our chests and our individual members will be free to vote as they see fit on the day without any political pressure but this is purely down to Reform and the actions that they decide to take."

Leader throws down the gauntlet

Cllr Finch sought to pass that buck back to Restore.

"Councillor Scott Cameron has explicitly said his group will be voting me down – he said that in an email so I don't know why he has now said it is a free vote," said the leader.

"I think he has realised he will be letting in the left. If they vote against me, there will be another vote – it will be George Finch, Reform UK, or Sarah Boad or the Greens, Jonathan Chilvers.

"Our councillors will vote for me. Restore, the most right-wing party in the chamber, will have the decision whether to let Reform stay in power or Sarah Boad, a Liberal Democrat, dooming this county council to maximum council tax rises, impoverishing the north and failing local government reorganisation."

Cllr Finch also finished with a challenge to his ex-colleague.

"If Scott deems I am not fit to be a councillor, or not fit to lead this council, I ask him to stand against me in Bedworth Central or Bede (Finch's borough council ward) and we will see who comes out on top," he added.

"I know what will happen. The public will vote for me and Reform UK, not Scott Cameron, whoever he is.

"He was elected under Reform UK, not Restore Britain."