2025 Cornwall Council election

Upcoming local authority elections

2025 Cornwall Council election

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| <- 2021 | 1 May 2025 (2025-05-01) | 2029 ->

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All 87 seats in the Cornwall Council
44 seats needed for a majority
|  |  |  |

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Leader  | Linda Taylor | Loic Rich  | Leigh Frost
Party  | Conservative | Independent | Liberal Democrats
Leader's seat  | St Ives East, Lelant & Carbis Bay  | Truro Tregolls  | Bodmin St Petroc's
Current seats  | 43  | 20  | 13
Seats needed  |  1  |  24  |  31

* * *

|  |  |
Leader  | Kate Ewert[a] | Dick Cole | Tamsyn Widdon
Party  | Labour Co-op | Mebyon Kernow | Green
Leader's seat  | Rame Peninsula & St Germans  | St Dennis & St Enoder  | Penryn
Current seats  | 5  | 5  | 1
Seats needed  |  39  |  39  |  43

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Map showing the composition of Cornwall Council following the 2021 election.

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| Incumbent Leader

Linda Taylor
Conservative

|

The 2025 Cornwall Council election will be held on Thursday 1 May 2025 to elect all 87 councillors to Cornwall Council. It will take place on the same day as other council elections in the United Kingdom.[1]

At the previous election in 2021 the Conservatives gained majority control of the council.[2] However, in the years between the elections the Conservatives saw several of their members leave the party, leaving the council under no majority control by the end of July 2024.[3]

## Background

[edit]

Cornwall Council is a unitary authority which has held elections every four years since its creation in 2009.[4] In the previous election in 2021, the Conservative Party won a majority of seats, taking over governance of the council[5] from the previous Liberal Democrat coalition with independent councillors.[6]

Cornwall Council has sought a devolution agreement from the Westminster Government. In 2022 a Level Three Devolution deal, similar to English combined authorities, was offered. This deal would have required a transition from the Leader/Cabinet model, to a Directly-Elected Mayor/Cabinet system.[7] Following decision not to pursue a level three deal, due in part to opposition to a Directly elected mayor for Cornwall, a level two deal was negotiated and passed in late 2023.[8] This deal agreed to devolved powers and additional funding over Adult Education, Green Energy, and Cornish Cultural activities.[9]

In January 2023, Paul Willis, Independent Councillor for the St Columb Major, St Mawgan & St Wenn ward, aligned himself to the Conservative group.[10][11]

During December 2023, Cllr. Steve Arthur, who represents Perranporth, resigned from the Conservative group.[12] Cllr Arthur, who now sits non-aligned as "Stand Alone Conservative",[13] stated complaints with the strategic planning committee over the approval of a solar farm within his ward.[14]

In the last week of July 2024 the Conservatives lost their majority on the council, after Cllr John Conway (Launceston South ward) resigned from the party following a disciplinary meeting[15] and Cllr Adrian Harvey (St Newlyn East, Cubert and Goonhavern ward) resigned after citing issues with Conservative Leader Linda Taylor’s leadership.[3]

## Council composition

[edit]

After 2021 election  | Before 2025 election  | 2025 election result

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|

Party  | Seats  | Party  | Seats  | Party  | Seats
| Conservative | 47  |  | Conservative | 43  |  | Conservative |
| Independent | 16  |  | Independent | 20  |  | Independent |
| Liberal Democrats | 13  |  | Liberal Democrats | 13  |  | Liberal Democrats |
| Labour | 5  |  | Labour | 5  |  | Labour |
| Mebyon Kernow | 5  |  | Mebyon Kernow | 5  |  | Mebyon Kernow |
| Green | 1  |  | Green | 1  |  | Green |

## By-elections 2021-present

[edit]

### Long Rock, Marazion and St Erth by-election 2023

[edit]

Following the resignation of Conservative councillor Tara Sherfield-Wong, due to health concerns, a by-election was called on 16th of February 2023.[16][17]

Long Rock, Marazion & St Erth  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
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| Liberal Democrats | John Martin  | 811  | 45.4  | 22.0
| Conservative | Will Elliott  | 503  | 28.1  | 8.3
| Green | Catherine Hayes  | 244  | 13.6  | 2.5
| Labour | Nastassia Player  | 230  | 12.9  | 1.2
Majority  | 308  | 17.3  |  4.3
Turnout | 1,788  | 32.4  | 10.6
| Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 15.1  |

### Looe West, Pelynt, Lansallos and Lanteglos by-election 2024

[edit]

Following the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Edwina Hannaford, due to "an aggressive form of cancer",[18] a by-election was called on 27th of February 2024. The poll took place on Thursday 4 April 2024.[19] The seat was retained by the Liberal Democrats with a reduced vote share, securing 44.8% of the vote.[20]

Looe West, Pelynt, Lansallos and Lanteglos  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
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| Liberal Democrats | Jim Candy  | 604  | 44.8  | 16.6
| Conservative | Richard Dorling  | 414  | 30.7  | 0.5
| Labour | Amy Louise Ladd  | 254  | 18.9  | 10.5
| Green | Paul Clark  | 75  | 5.6  | New
Majority  | 210  | 15.5  | 15.6
Turnout | 1353  | 28.28  | 13.72
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 16.6  |

### Falmouth Penwerris by-election 2024

[edit]

A by-election was called when Jayne Kirkham resigned from the council after being elected as a member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth at the 2024 general election.[21] The seat was retained by the Labour party with a reduced vote share, securing 43.5% of the vote.[22]

Falmouth Penwerris  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Labour | Alan Rowe  | 337  | 43.5  |  20.2
| Liberal Democrats | John Spargo  | 228  | 29.4  |  24.7
| Green | Jackie Walkden  | 189  | 24.4  |  16.1
Majority  | 109  | 14.1  |  30.1
Turnout | 775  | 15.5  |  21.3
| Labour hold | Swing |  20.2  |

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Acting leader, following Jayne Kirkham being elected as an MP

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Elections and referendums - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
2. ^ "Cornwall Council elections 6 May 2021 - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
3. ^ a b Noble, Seb (2024-07-26). "Conservatives lose majority on Cornwall Council". BBC News Online. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
4. ^ "The Cornwall (Structural Change) Order 2008 No. 491". 2009-04-23. Archived from the original on 2009-04-23. Retrieved 2023-12-01.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
5. ^ "Elections 2021: Conservatives take Cornwall Council". BBC News. 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
6. ^ "LocalGov.co.uk - Your authority on UK local government - Lib Dems and Independents regain Cornwall Council". www.localgov.co.uk. 2017-05-24. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
7. ^ "Consultation on the proposed Cornwall Devolution Deal | Let's Talk Cornwall". letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
8. ^ "Cornwall devolution deal (Kevambos Digresennans Kernow) 2023". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
9. ^ "Council leader signs new devolution deal for Cornwall - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
10. ^ "Tories strengthen their grip on Cornwall Council as Independent defects". Cornwall Reports. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
11. ^ "Councillor details - Paul Wills". democracy.cornwall.gov.uk. 2024-01-03. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
12. ^ "Councillor resigns in light of planning decision". The Voice. 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
13. ^ "Councillor details - Steve Arthur". democracy.cornwall.gov.uk. 2024-01-03. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
14. ^ "Cornwall councillor quits Tory group saying – 'we've done f*** all'". Falmouth Packet. 2023-12-18. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
15. ^ Noble, Seb (23 July 2024). "Tory majority down to one after councillor quits". BBC News. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
16. ^ "Lib Dems win Cornwall Council by-election". BBC News. 2023-02-17. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
17. ^ Whitehouse, Richard (2023-02-17). "Liberal Democrats win Cornwall Council by-election". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
18. ^ "Edwina Hannaford: Tributes paid to long-serving Cornwall councillor". BBC News. 2024-02-02. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
19. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Looe West, Pelynt, Lansallos and Lanteglos Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
20. ^ Pack, Mark (2024-04-05). "Lib Dems hold seat in Cornish council by-election". Mark Pack. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
21. ^ Lee Trewhela (20 September 2024). "Labour candidates trounce Cornwall by-election". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
22. ^ CornishStuff (2024-09-20). "Election Results: Falmouth's Penwerris Ward Welcomes New Councillors". CornishStuff. Retrieved 2024-12-30.

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