A prominent Warwick Conservative has filed a code of conduct complaint against Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch – and insists a colleague deserves "much more support" from Tories at Shire Hall.

Andrew Day, who led Warwick District Council until the Tories lost power in 2023 and remains at the helm of his group in opposition, has backed up Cllr Jan Matecki in the wake of his resignation as deputy leader of the county's Conservatives – he remains a party member.

They serve together at district level and Mr Day was exercised to join at least two others in raising a standards complaint after Reform UK leader Cllr George Finch posted a mock-up of Cllr Matecki as a burglar on social media.

The posts made reference to Cllr Matecki's time as cabinet member for transport and planning when the Tories were in charge of the county. He filed his own complaint to monitoring officer Sarah Duxbury – Warwickshire County Council's most senior legal official and arbiter of conduct complaints – and has been supported by political rival Cllr Sarah Boad.

Reform UK has run the county council through a minority administration since May 2025, relying on either support or a lack of dissent from Conservative councillors to win leadership votes and pass a budget. Opponents suggest the two blue camps are too close to one another.

Cllr Finch, who last month was found to have breached the council's code of conduct through public comments that "could have jeopardised" a child rape case, faces a Green Party-led vote of no confidence tomorrow (Tuesday, March 17).

Conservative leader Cllr Adrian Warwick has stated his group will not back the call while conduct claims are being investigated and while Cllr Matecki insisted his decision was not linked to that, Mr Day believes it to be symptomatic of wider problems in the dark blue corner of Shire Hall. 

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Standards in public life really matter and Jan sets a very clear example of high standards in the way he conducts himself.

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"The current leader of the county council decided to take some pretty cheap public shots in trying to present Jan as a criminal.

"If you are going to represent people well, you have to be held to high standards. George Finch has failed that test more than once and is not fit to be leader of Warwickshire County Council, regardless of the political dynamic. As a person he is not right to lead such an important authority."

Mr Day said locals were "appalled" by Cllr Finch's actions, describing Cllr Matecki as "first-rate" and "a man of conviction" with a strong track record of case work for residents across a number of disciplines.

"He is showing political courage and deserves support from across the Conservative group," added Mr Day. 

"I have said as much privately and am happy to be on public record saying it – hopefully the (county) group will recognise and do just that."

Asked whether he had discussed his concerns with Cllr Warwick, Mr Day replied: "Adrian is well aware of my views.

"I appreciate he has taken a different position but I felt it was appropriate as leader of another Conservative group to make my views well known. I was as forthright as I could be."

Asked what the county position was, Mr Day said he had been told but did not wish to speak for Cllr Warwick, adding: "Needless to say, he is not in the same place I am."

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Asked if he believed Cllr Matecki had been adequately supported by Warwickshire's Tory group, Mr Day said: "No.

"It is a tough job being a councillor. When you have to face people after criticism like that, portraying you as a criminal in the public domain through AI (artificial intelligence), it is hard. 

"I think Jan deserves – and should get – much more support than he has had."

He was also adamant that his ire was directed at Cllr Finch, not Reform UK.

"This is not about party politics, it is about the calibre and fibre of the person who leads the authority," he said. 

"I am so disappointed by the performance of George Finch. He is not focused on the best interests of the people of Warwickshire in the way he has behaved.

Expressing hope that "the fat lady hasn't sung yet", he concluded: "I just hope common sense prevails, that they look at the man before them and vote accordingly rather than considering this a political game of Jenga.

"Reform could put forward someone else. I believe there are some very capable councillors on their side of the chamber who could do the job and would have the confidence of the whole of Warwickshire. George Finch is not that man."

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Cllr Warwick and Cllr Finch were unavailable for comment.