Nuneaton and Bedworth Council could remove leader

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council will vote on whether to remove its leader from office following a row over the potential cancellation of local elections.

Labour's Chris Watkins will face a vote of no confidence on Wednesday after writing to the Government to request the elections to the authority be postponed.

He argues elections on 5 May would not be "a prudent use of resources", saying money could instead be used to help prepare for the abolition of Warwickshire's councils, including his own, which are set to be replaced with a new single tier authority by 2028.

But the Conservative motion to be debated on Wednesday accuses Watkins of denying "the fundamental rights of citizens".

If all other parties beyond the Labour group vote together on Wednesday, the leader would lose his position.

More than a third of eligible councils in England have asked to postpone their elections in May amid Government plans to restructure how local authorities are organised.

More than 2.5 million voters could be affected.

If elections go ahead in Nuneaton and Bedworth in four months' time, half of the seats would be up for grabs.

Opposition parties have suggested postponing elections is motivated by Labour's current relative unpopularity in the polls. Warwickshire County Council's Reform UK leader George Finch recently suggested Labour was "scared" of losing seats.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is currently under no overall control politically, although Labour holds the positions of leader and mayor.

The mayoral position is key, as that post has the casting vote if a vote is tied.

Rugby Borough Council's Labour leader Michael Moran recently confirmed he would also write to Government to ask for elections there to be postponed.

Elections in neighbouring Coventry will take place on 5 May as that authority is not undergoing a restructure and is not eligible to request a delay.

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