2025 Cornwall Council election

Last updated
2025 Cornwall Council election
Flag of Cornwall.svg
←  2021 1 May 2025 (2025-05-01)2029 →
All 87 seats in the Cornwall Council
44 seats needed for a majority
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LeaderLinda TaylorLoic RichLeigh Frost
Party Conservative Independent Liberal Democrats
Leader's seatSt Ives East, Lelant & Carbis BayTruro TregollsBodmin St Petroc's
Current seats432013
Seats neededIncrease2.svg 1Increase2.svg 24Increase2.svg 31
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LeaderKate Ewert [a] Dick Cole Tamsyn Widdon
Party Labour Co-op Mebyon Kernow Green
Leader's seatRame Peninsula & St GermansSt Dennis & St EnoderPenryn
Current seats551
Seats neededIncrease2.svg 39Increase2.svg 39Increase2.svg 43
Cornwall Council political divisions May 2021 map.svg
Map showing the composition of Cornwall Council following the 2021 election.
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]

Contents

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

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

After 2021 electionBefore 2025 election2025 election result
PartySeatsPartySeatsPartySeats
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

    Long Rock, Marazion and St Erth by-election 2023

    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
    PartyCandidateVotes%±%
    Liberal Democrats John Martin 811 45.4 Increase2.svg22.0
    Conservative Will Elliott50328.1Decrease2.svg8.3
    Green Catherine Hayes24413.6Increase2.svg2.5
    Labour Nastassia Player23012.9Increase2.svg1.2
    Majority30817.3Increase2.svg 4.3
    Turnout 1,78832.4Decrease2.svg10.6
    Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing Increase2.svg15.1

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

    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
    PartyCandidateVotes%±%
    Liberal Democrats Jim Candy 604 44.8 Decrease2.svg16.6
    Conservative Richard Dorling41430.7Increase2.svg0.5
    Labour Amy Louise Ladd25418.9Increase2.svg10.5
    Green Paul Clark755.6New
    Majority21015.5Decrease2.svg15.6
    Turnout 135328.28Decrease2.svg13.72
    Liberal Democrats hold Swing Decrease2.svg16.6

    Falmouth Penwerris by-election 2024

    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
    PartyCandidateVotes%±%
    Labour Alan Rowe 337 43.5 Decrease2.svg 20.2
    Liberal Democrats John Spargo22829.4Increase2.svg 24.7
    Green Jackie Walkden18924.4Increase2.svg 16.1
    Majority10914.1Decrease2.svg 30.1
    Turnout 77515.5Decrease2.svg 21.3
    Labour hold Swing Decrease2.svg 20.2

    Notes

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

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    References

    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. 1 2 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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