Leader Ian Davison has merged cabinet positions to create two fewer roles on the Green Party panel that he proposes to run Warwick District Council.

A nine-strong cabinet of six Green and three Labour councillors ran the authority’s major service areas until last week when Labour’s national executive ordered their members to withdraw over a row over national policy related to the Middle East.

A Green statement confirmed that despite only holding 14 of the district’s 44 seats, meaning they could have big decisions overturned at full council, Cllr Davison would seek to continue to run the show until all seats are up for election until May 2027.

Doubt has been cast over that plan by former leader Councillor Andrew Day (Con, Bishop’s Tachbrook) calling a vote of no confidence that will be debated and held on Wednesday (November 11, 6pm).

Leader Ian Davison has merged cabinet positions to create two fewer roles on the Green Party panel that he proposes to run Warwick District Council.

placeholder image — Leader Ian Davison has merged cabinet positions to create two fewer roles on the Green Party panel that he proposes to run Warwick District Council.

In the meantime Cllr Davison, who as leader has outright control over who he selects for his top team, has put together a seven-strong panel to oversee the council’s biggest blocks of work.

Labour group leader Councillor Jess Melrose’s (Leamington Clarendon) housing portfolio will now be taken on by Councillor Becky Davidson (Green, Radford Semele) who switches across from people and organisational development.

Councillor Kathleen Gorman (Green, Warwick Myton & Heathcote) takes on people and organisational development but with additional duties around community health and wellbeing that used to come under the remit of safer, healthier, active communities which was led by Labour’s Councillor Jim Sinnott (Warwick Saltisford).

Councillor Hema Yellapragada (Green, Warwick Myton & Heathcote) also has added duties with community protection added to her decarbonisation role, taking on community safety work which will likely include a seat on the Warwickshire Police & Crime Panel.

Arguably the biggest additional workload will be taken on by Cllr Davison himself, adding Councillor Chris King’s (Lab, Leamington Clarendon) place portfolio to his strategic leadership role.

It incorporates planning policy and delivery, building control and the hotly-contested and unpopular South Warwickshire Local Plan on top of Cllr Davison’s existing duties which include local government reorganisation, policy performance and complaints, plus HS2.

Cllr Davison has been approached for comment.