Latest news with #RobHoward
BBC News
13 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Judge me on my record, 18-year-old Warwickshire council leader says
An 18-year-old acting leader of a county council has urged people to judge him on his actions rather than his age. George Finch took temporary charge of Warwickshire County Council after the Reform UK leader stood down on Wednesday. He now oversees a local authority with £1.5bn of assets and a revenue budget of about £500m. The unusual situation has sparked debate, with his party calling it a proud moment and Labour and the Conservatives questioning his experience. Finch, a councillor for Bedworth and the local Reform UK chairman, has not ruled out running for the top job on a permanent basis. He said his track record was pretty good. Reform made unprecedented gains in Warwickshire in May's local elections, mainly at the expense of the Conservatives. They became the largest party and formed a minority Howard, who had been leader for 41 days, said he was quitting as council leader with "much regret" due to health reasons. Finch had been his deputy and will serve as interim until a new leader has been chosen, as per the council's constitution. Finch, who also serves as portfolio holder for children and families, said he hoped people would be able to see past his age. "The people of Bedworth Central elected me with a thumping majority of 1,100," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "Don't judge me on my age, judge me on what I do. At the moment, my track record is pretty good."As party chairman I got 13 out of 13 candidates elected. "All of the things we needed to do to prepare for the elections, they speak volumes." Jaymey McIvor, an Essex county councillor and Reform UK local government spokesperson, praised Finch for taking over and getting on with the job. He said Warwickshire councillors were focused on issues such as fixing potholes and improving access to skills in deprived areas. "I was able to see councillor Finch in action," he told the BBC's Politics Midlands programme. "He was very professional."I think we should actually be quite proud that a young British man, who has been elected to office to represent his community, has found himself in a very senior position."Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston Preet Gill said the people of Warwickshire "frankly deserve better". "This is not work experience," she said. "This is not about learning on the job. "With all due respect, at 18 you will not know how to deliver adult social care, children social care [and] SEND services." Mike Wood, the Conservative MP for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire, was more apprehensive. He said he had previously been a local councillor, and it was a tough job."It really would take a quite remarkable 18-year-old to go straight from sixth form to running a large local authority with a half a billion pound budget with no previous experience," he said. Watch Politics Midlands on BBC One in the West Midlands at 10:00 BST on Sunday. The show will be available on iPlayer BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Will Tories back Reform UK to lead Warwickshire again?
All options are in play as to who will run a council where the Reform UK leader quit, says the authority's top Tory - who suggests a Conservative replacement is not off the County Council's political picture was reset on Wednesday when its leader - Reform councillor Rob Howard - stood down after just 41 days, citing health left Howard's deputy, 18-year-old George Finch, holding the reins until the selection of a new authority's 57 elected councillors will now have to vote for that individual, a process that is due to take place at the next scheduled meeting of full council on 22 July. While Reform UK, with 22, has more council seats than any other party, no group commands a majority and will require agreement and votes from political rivals to install Howard's elected, the leader holds day-to-day power and discretion to appoint political leads to all of the council's major service came in courtesy of support from his own party and the Conservatives, the party that lost power following May's was enough despite opposition from the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and leader Adrian Warwick told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that his group was scheduled to meet next week and would consider whatever options were put forward as and when they appeared. Warwick confirmed he had been informed of Howard's resignation on Wednesday but that no further discussions had taken place."It was a bolt from the blue for us as well, we weren't expecting it," he said."First and foremost, we are desperately sad to hear of Councillor Howard's health concerns and we wish him a speedy recovery."He added: "No one knows better than the Conservatives the pressures and workload that running Warwickshire County Council brings, we understand that because we did it for long enough. We know it is a tough job."Perhaps Reform didn't realise just how tough it would be but ill health is something that can hit anyone at any time. The fact that it has hit him alongside the workload that he has taken on, as Conservatives we just really feel for him on a personal level." Interim council leader George Finch has publicly declared that his party wants to stay in said: "We will have to see what Reform brings forward."Warwickshire has to function. My group will have a meeting after the weekend and will discuss things when we know more but it is for Reform to put forward their proposals and for the other parties in Warwickshire to look at them and decide what they are comfortable with."Asked whether that could mean a Conservative candidate for leader, Warwick replied: "We would need to consider all options. That is a discussion for the group next week, whether we want to put someone forward." Since taking charge, Reform UK has been criticised for the time taken to appoint a cabinet – in particular the role of portfolio holder for transport and planning, as well as vacancies being left on the overview and scrutiny panels that started their work this criticism has been extended to the Conservatives for supporting their leadership but Warwick insisted he had no regrets."The only regret I have is that Councillor Howard has been taken ill, and that's on a personal basis, not a political one," he said. This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Reform has failed a basic test of political organisation in Warwickshire
To be remembered as the Liz Truss of Warwickshire County Council leaders is a unique accolade, if a somewhat humiliating one. Rob Howard was elected last month as one of the county's 23 new Reform UK councillors. He became the council leader, forming a minority administration. He presided over a budget of more than £414 million, 5,000 employees, and oversaw a population of around 600,000. But now, 41 days into the role, he has resigned, handing over to George Finch, his 18-year-old deputy. Howard has released a short statement explaining his decision, citing his health. 'The role of leader is an extremely demanding role', he laments, 'and regretfully my health challenges now prevent me from carrying out the role to the level and standard that I would wish'. Finch has pledged that the council was in 'steady hands', and that the party's mission – centred on filling in potholes, starting an apprenticeship programme, and improving SEND provision – 'remained unchanged'. One presumes DOGE's agents are on their way. What to make of this? Howard's health is a matter between him and his doctor. But unless it has deteriorated within recent weeks in role – during which, according to reports, he took a trip to the Dominican Republic – he surely knew that running the council might be beyond his abilities. Is Finch still in control? Is he balancing his duties with doing his A-Levels? Then again, neither age nor health problems should be a barrier to going into politics. Pitt the Younger led Britain for almost two decades from the grand old age of 24. Finch can surely manage Warwickshire for a week at 18. Yet this is also an illustration of Reform's ongoing struggles with professionalism. Was it really the case that, of the 23 elected, the best two leaders the councillors could find were a man sufficiently unwell to do the role for six weeks, and a lad who has barely started shaving? If you were a serious professional working in the City, in business, or in tech, who was worried about the state of Britain and thinking of going into politics on Reform's ticket, wouldn't these shenanigans put you off? Politics is difficult. Reform have had to scale up at speed. Before last month, there was still widespread disbelief that they could win a national election. But now they have and are on course for government. If the councils the party now runs are supposed to be a demonstration of what a future Reform regime will entail, let alone a breeding ground for talent, one can't be optimistic.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Teenager put in charge of council after local Reform leader's swift departure
Reform 's Rob Howard resigned as leader of Warwickshire County Council, citing health challenges, just weeks after being elected. His 18-year-old deputy, George Finch, has taken over as interim leader, becoming responsible for the council's £1.5bn assets and £500m budget. Howard's resignation follows a series of other newly-elected Reform councillors resigning or quitting their roles shortly after the local elections. Despite these internal issues, a recent YouGov poll indicates a significant surge for Reform, projecting them to win the most seats if an election were held today. The poll suggests Reform could jump to 271 MPs, potentially forming a minority government, while Labour 's projected seats would significantly decrease to 178.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Reform Warwickshire council head quits after five weeks, leaving 18-year-old in charge
A Reform UK councillor has resigned as leader of Warwickshire county council just five weeks after he was elected, leaving his 18-year-old deputy in the role. Rob Howard said health problems were preventing him from carrying out the role, to which he was elected on 16 May, 'to the level and standard I would wish' as he stepped down after 42 days in office. The county council confirmed the current deputy chair, 18-year-old George Finch, would serve as interim leader until a permanent replacement was chosen. Both Howard and Finch were elected as Reform UK councillors at the local elections on 1 May. In a statement shared on the county council website on Wednesday, Howard said: 'This has been a very difficult decision to take. 'The role of leader is an extremely demanding role and regretfully my health challenges now prevent me from carrying out the role to the level and standard that I would wish. 'I am honoured and privileged to have held the role, even if only for a short time. I remain committed to my continued role working as a county councillor for the benefit of Warwickshire residents.' Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion In a statement, Finch said he would make sure the council was in 'steady hands' until a permanent leader was in place. He said: 'As interim leader I will ensure that this council is in steady hands until a new leader is elected by the group so that we can deliver meaningful results for Warwickshire. Our mission to deliver for residents remains unchanged.' Warwickshire county council, which has alternated between a Conservative majority and no overall control since it was established in 1974, has been under Reform control since the election on 1 May. However, despite securing 23 seats, the party fell short of the 29 needed for a majority. Alternative leadership nominations were made for the Liberal Democrat councillor Jerry Roodhouse and the Green councillor Jonathan Chilvers. Howard won the support of 28 councillors in his selection as leader, while Roodhouse won 15 votes and Chilvers 10, with one abstention. In a statement released by Warwickshire Liberal Democrats, Roodhouse said Howard's resignation was 'regrettable, coming so soon after taking it on'. He said: 'The instability in the leadership of the Conservative-backed Reform UK group is not good news. It's especially unwelcome when there are so many challenges facing the council, such as Send provision, adult social care and big highways projects.'
