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]
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All 87 seats in the Cornwall Council 44 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Map showing the composition of Cornwall Council following the 2021 election. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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
editCornwall 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 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
editLong Rock, Marazion and St Erth by-election 2023
editFollowing the resignation of Conservative councillor Tara Sherfield-Wong, due to health concerns, a by-election was called on 16th of February 2023.[16][17]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,788 | 32.4 | −10.6 | ||
| Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +15.1 | |||
Looe West, Pelynt, Lansallos and Lanteglos by-election 2024
editFollowing 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 reduced vote share, securing 44.8% of the vote.[20]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |||
| Turnout | 1353 | 28.28 | |||
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | ||||
Notes
edit- ^ Acting leader, following Jayne Kirkham being elected as an MP
References
edit- ^ "Elections and referendums - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ "Cornwall Council elections 6 May 2021 - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ a b Noble, Seb (2024-07-26). "Conservatives lose majority on Cornwall Council". BBC News Online. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ "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) - ^ "Elections 2021: Conservatives take Cornwall Council". BBC News. 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Consultation on the proposed Cornwall Devolution Deal | Let's Talk Cornwall". letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
- ^ "Cornwall devolution deal (Kevambos Digresennans Kernow) 2023". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
- ^ "Council leader signs new devolution deal for Cornwall - Cornwall Council". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
- ^ "Tories strengthen their grip on Cornwall Council as Independent defects". Cornwall Reports. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
- ^ "Councillor details - Paul Wills". democracy.cornwall.gov.uk. 2024-01-03. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
- ^ "Councillor resigns in light of planning decision". The Voice. 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
- ^ "Councillor details - Steve Arthur". democracy.cornwall.gov.uk. 2024-01-03. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
- ^ "Cornwall councillor quits Tory group saying – 'we've done f*** all'". Falmouth Packet. 2023-12-18. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
- ^ Noble, Seb (23 July 2024). "Tory majority down to one after councillor quits". BBC News. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ "Lib Dems win Cornwall Council by-election". BBC News. 2023-02-17. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
- ^ Whitehouse, Richard (2023-02-17). "Liberal Democrats win Cornwall Council by-election". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
- ^ "Edwina Hannaford: Tributes paid to long-serving Cornwall councillor". BBC News. 2024-02-02. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
- ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Looe West, Pelynt, Lansallos and Lanteglos Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
- ^ Pack, Mark (2024-04-05). "Lib Dems hold seat in Cornish council by-election". Mark Pack. Retrieved 2024-04-07.