Brickbats at other authorities, mild profanity and the civic lead of Warwickshire County Council accused of political bias made for "the most unpleasant" meeting of one councillor's career.

Two motions – proposed statements of the council's intent – from opposition groups asked for a working group to get highways projects moving and a commitment to walking and cycling schemes but it was comments from leader Cllr George Finch specific to related issues that stirred the hornet's nest. 

District 'not fit for purpose'

He argued that the county should not be "propping up district council issues", particularly "failed" local plans and then cited Warwick District Council Council.

Through a slight chuckle, he claimed "it is not fit for purpose anymore" with Reform UK colleague Cllr David Garland, sat behind him, visibly laughing.

He was questioned by a number of opposition councillors on the credibility of the county, particularly as the highways authority, not engaging with local plans, although there was backing from Conservative leader Cllr Adrian Warwick, an opponent of Rugby Borough Council's emerging local plan, on plans that are deemed "unsustainable and undeliverable".

The wider district council comment was dubbed "totally unfair" by independent Councillor Judy Falp (Whitnash), who sits on both.

"Please don't comment on something you don't know about," she said.

Labour's Cllr Senthil Karadair sits on Rugby Borough Council and its planning committee and invited Cllr Finch to attend a meeting.

"Comments like this will not encourage us to work together," he said. "I believe the leader should take his words back."

When that request was rebuffed, Cllr Karadair said: "That's okay. I will sit for the rest of the council today with a smiling face but under protest." 

Cllr Jonathan Chilvers is on the cabinet at Warwick District Council and said Cllr Finch's comments were "completely inaccurate" and "beneath the office of the leader of the council".

"If you look at the evidence, Warwick District Council's plan is on time and on budget. It is delivering the corporate strategy, lower bills and lower carbon which is what that council set out to do," he continued.

"Please, in your office as leader don't go making unsubstantiated and unevidenced comments. I ask you to take that opportunity to retract that."

That was supported by another district and county councillor Richard Dickson (Lib Dem, Kenilworth St John's).

Cllr Finch later clarified what he meant but stopped short of a retraction.

"It is the local plans that are failing," he said.

"I've spoken to people, not just in Bedworth but other areas like Rugby and Stratford. They just want a bit of hope from the councillors that are on the district as well.

"Hearing what Conservative colleagues are saying, it shows that we need to do something different."

Reform's amendment to keep things in the hands of the portfolio holder rather than adding the influence of a cross-party working group was voted through with support from the Conservatives. 

Reform to hand cycle lane cash back to government

The next motion threw up Cllr Finch's plan to scrap active travel projects – particularly cycle lanes – that are already funded by central government, stating "we will bounce that (money) back to the national government and they can work on other things".

He said such works would "eventually destroy our town centres", describing cycle lanes as "bogus".

It was questioned whether he was serious about giving up allocated cash as it is unlikely – probably impossible – for the council to get that back for other things.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Cllr Sarah Boad pointed out the strict definitions between capital spend on physical items and revenue funding which is spent on services.

"I've had to sit here all morning listening to this gibberish from the other side of the room," she said.

"What are the Tories going to do? Vote for it? Are you?

"This money was applied for before the election in May, the Tory council applied for these grants and got them. Presumably you are now going to vote against it? Like you have been doing all day? Reform's friends, Reform's lapdogs, do what Reform say."

Level playing field? 

Chair of the council, Cllr Ed Harris, who is there to arbitrate meetings without political influence, interjected to ask all members to "debate the issue and not the person", which further incensed Cllr Boad.

"So it is okay for your leader to attack another elected body in this council, that's okay is it? You didn't say anything then," she snapped.

"It is okay for him (Cllr Finch) to rubbish an elected body with a democratic leadership. You didn't say a word. It seems to me there isn't a level playing field here."

Cllr Harris commented that "there's a lot of passion here" to which Cllr Boad replied: "Bl**dy right there is!"

Cllr Harris then suggested that "when we let our passions get away from us sometimes, we do let ourselves down".

"Do not dare lecture me," Cllr Boad insisted. "You take that back!"

Unmoved, Cllr Harris replied: "No, I won't do that because I am not angling that at you, I said to all councillors."

The chair again stepped in later when Cllr Sam Jones angrily asked: "Look at me when I am talking to you, please Cllr Finch."

Cllr Harris said: "I'm sorry, that's not acceptable to call someone out like that. I'm trying to be even-handed here."

There were murmurs of derision, including the comment "No, you're not." Cllr Jones then queried what he had done wrong and was told: "You're playing the man, not the issue." 

Eventually, the Conservatives stepped in to suggest an adjournment and after a behind-closed-doors negotiation between group leaders, all parties got behind a much-changed motion. It committed to bringing a full list of planned works to the next meeting of council with a cost-benefit analysis for each.

Later, Cllr Warwick called for all to "dial down the rhetoric".

"Today has possibly been the most unpleasant council meeting I have ever sat in and I don't think it is necessary," he said.

"We are going to have to start trying. It is going to be difficult, as we have just said in the leader's office ideologies are going to collide."