St Columb Minor and Colan (electoral division)

Last updated

St Columb Minor and Colan
ward
Cornwall Council
St Columb Minor and Colan electoral division map 2021.svg
Boundary of St Columb Minor and Colan in Cornwall from 2021.
County Cornwall
Current ward
Created2021 (2021)
CouncillorChristine Parsonage (Reform UK)
Number of councillorsOne

St Columb Minor and Colan is an electoral division of Cornwall in the United Kingdom which returns one member to sit on Cornwall Council. It was created at the 2021 local elections and since 2025 has been represented by Christine Parsonage, a member of Reform UK. [1]

Contents

Extent

The division includes the villages of St Columb Minor, Colan and Quintrell Downs, as well as the hamlets of Whipsiderry, Lane, Mountjoy, Trebarber. The division also includes most of the hamlets of Tregurrian and White Cross, which are shared with St Columb Major, St Mawgan and St Wenn and St Dennis and St Enoder respectively. [2] [3]

Councillors

ElectionMemberParty
2021 John Fitter Independent
2025 Christine Parsonage Reform UK

Election results

2021 election

2021 election: St Columb Minor and Colan [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John Fitter 662 51.1 N/A
Conservative Mark Formosa62248.0N/A
Majority 403.1N/A
Rejected ballots110.8
Turnout 1,295
Independent win (new seat)

2025 election

2025 election: St Columb Major, St Mawgan and St Wenn [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Reform UK Christine Parsonage 507 35.8 New
Independent John Fitter41429.3−21.8
Conservative Mark Formosa23816.8−31.2
Labour Nicola Tettmar1208.5New
Liberal Democrats Pauline Avery1188.3New
Independent Nigel May151.1New
Majority 936.6+3.5
Rejected ballots30.2-0.6
Turnout 141530.2
Registered electors 4,686
Reform UK gain from Independent

Parsonage, who lives in Torpoint, 40 miles (64 km) from her division, was a paper candidate for Reform UK and did not expect to be elected. [6] This led to criticism from independent councillors about her ability to represent the division; Parsonage said that living outside of the division "means I don't have any conflict of interest, so I can speak unencumbered". [7] In August 2025, Newquay Town Council, which covers part of the division, wrote to Parsonage asking her to attend town council meetings due to members' concerns about her "continued absence". [8] Parsonage responded that due to her work as a nurse, she could not attend town council meetings in Newquay but highlighted that she attended Cornwall Council meetings and answered correspondence. [8]

References

  1. "Christine Parsonage". Cornwall Council . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  2. "Cornwall Council Interactive Map". Cornwall Council . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  3. "New electoral arrangements for Cornwall Council - Final recommendations" (PDF). Cornwall Council . Local Government Boundary Commission for England. December 2018. p. 40. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  4. "Election results for St Columb Minor and Colan - Cornwall Council elections - Thursday, 6th May, 2021". Cornwall Council . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  5. "Election results for St Columb Minor and Colan - Cornwall Council elections - Thursday, 1st May, 2025". Cornwall Council . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  6. Warren Wilkins (7 August 2025). "Reform UK councillor admits she was a paper candidate and did not expect to get elected". Newquay Voice . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  7. Lee Trewhela (21 May 2025). "Reform UK members in Cornwall defend living miles from the areas they represent". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  8. 1 2 Lee Trewhela (18 August 2025). "Continually absent Reform UK councillor in Cornwall is asked to attend meetings". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 18 August 2025.