Council leader promises more funding for the county

Warwickshire County Council's Reform UK leadership has promised to direct more funding to the north of the county after its first council plan was approved.

Council leader George Finch said areas such as Nuneaton, Bedworth and North Warwickshire had been "left behind for years", arguing that the new plan aims to correct a long‑standing imbalance.

The revised document includes new commitments to extra investment and support for northern towns - changes added after public consultation.

Addressing councillors during a full debate of Reform's first council plan, Finch said the party had been elected to "represent the people of the north".

Explaining Reform's plan for North Warwickshire, Finch said: "One of the main things for a lot of our councillors is making sure there is fair treatment of the county.

"We have seen for years now that the north has been left behind and I think [we are] putting it first and making sure that we are working at putting more funding and support up in the north - especially in Nuneaton, Bedworth and North Warwickshire in particular.

"What we have seen since being here [is an] imbalance and we want to make sure the north has more support, as it does have the most deprived people in Warwickshire."

Three amendments came forward to Reform's plan with the Green Party requesting that recognition of climate change is put back in, alongside a focus on the prioritisation of public transport and active travel in line with the council's current transport plan.

The Liberal Democrats wanted additional focus on special educational needs, adult social care and children's mental health - also proposing to weave in greater scrutiny of the impact of Reform's cost-cutting drives.

They were both voted down, but the Conservatives got their addition in, editing Finch's introduction to include that "the administration will not be bound by the 2019 and 2025 declaration of climate emergencies", arguing they are "no longer economically sustainable in the short term."

Reform's council plan, including the Conservative amendments, passed by 31 votes to 24. Liberal Democrat, Green, Labour and Whitnash Residents councillors all voted against.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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