Today it is 100 days since voters across Warwickshire voted – at least according to Cllr George Finch and the local Reform UK leadership – for change. 

If voters thought this change would involve a better way of governing the county, after years of Conservative complacency and mess, they’ve been badly let down. 

In the 100 days since 1st May the 14 Liberal Democrat County Councillors (previously there were just 5) have been hard at work for residents and with local partner organisations on a range of important issues.

This is despite an ongoing policy vacuum from the Council’s Reform UK leadership. 

Liberal Democrats in Warwickshire have been promoting active travel schemes and use of public transport, buses and trains so that residents, workers and visitors can get about in Warwickshire more easily, more affordably and more sustainably. They have also supported proposals for the Council to commit to a “Close to Home” principle, that works to ensure that children in care are placed as near as possible to their family, school, and community.

Liberal Democrat Councillors have – in vain – sought policy answers from the Council’s Reform UK leadership to questions about progress with the battery giga factory site at Coventry airport and the long-delayed and massively over-budget £57 million A46 Stoneleigh Junction ‘Bridge to Nowhere’.  

Working with other progressive Councillors, Liberal Democrats have voted to continue exploring opportunities for flood protection schemes for residents and to re-establish the climate cross-party working group to identify what more needs to be done to protect Warwickshire residents against the impact of climate change. 

Out and about in Warwickshire communities Liberal Democrat Councillors have taken part with residents and community groups in local arts, culture and sports events, as well as at many summer school events and local festivals.

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse, leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition group said:

In the 100 days since the elections in May Liberal Democrat Councillors have been busy doing the serious job of representing residents and subjecting the Reform UK leadership in Warwickshire to serious scrutiny.  

This is in contrast to the Reform UK leadership in Warwickshire who’ve put forward no new policies whatsoever. They’ve said nothing of significance on local government reorganisation. Instead all they’ve done – when they’ve actually turned up for Committee meetings – is fret about flags, publicly criticise senior Council staff and interfere in operational police matters.

Yes, it’s change George. But not as Lib Dems know it. And definitely not for the better.

* Richard Dickson joined the West Midlands Liberal Democrat Regional Executive in 2021 and became Chair in January 2022. He is a District Councillor in Warwick and a Warwickshire County Councillor. Richard Dickson is a Lib Dem Councillor in Warwickshire.