Leamington and Warwick MP slams council leadership after HQ postponement announcement

Responding to the announcement that the start of the project will be delayed until at least July made at a meeting of the full council last night, Mr Western has said: “I think the public will see this for what it really is: a desperate move to try and avoid negative publicity for the Conservative-controlled Council in the run-up to the local District Council elections in May.

"It always has been a seriously flawed project and remains so.

"The Council simply doesn’t need brand new offices.

" What is clear, however, is that the council leadership has shown contempt for businesses, residents and councillors – even some in his own party – and has now sought to postpone this decision for political reasons.

"The public are not fools.

“Having first asked to meet with the council’s development partner, PSP, last July, they finally agreed to a meeting this week - on the same day as this announcement. Seven months on, it’s an interesting coincidence.

"My objections remain and are as clear as before.”

Mr Western has been strongly opposed to the project since 2016 and throughout has been calling for transparency and greater public scrutiny.

More than 8,000 people have signed the public petition objecting to the plans.

The petition can be found on the website www.mattwestern.org/campaigns