Cornwall Council

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Cornwall Council Konsel Kernow
1st unitary term
Type
Type	Unicameral
Leadership
Chief Executive	Kevin Lavery
Chairman	Alec Robertson
Structure
Members	123
Political groups	Conservative Party   Liberal Democrats   Independents   Mebyon Kernow
Election
Voting system	First past the post
Last election	4 June 2009
Meeting place
New County Hall, Truro
Web site
www.cornwall.gov.uk

Cornwall Council is the unitary authority for Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. The council has a tradition of large groups of independents, having been controlled by independents in the 1970s and 1980s.

Cornwall Council provides a wide range of services to more than half a million residents, has an annual budget of more than £1 billion and is the biggest employer in Cornwall with a staff of over 22,000.^[1][2] It is responsible for schools, social services, rubbish collection, roads, planning and more.

[edit] Establishment of the unitary authority

Before April 2009, Cornwall was administered as a non-metropolitan county of England by Cornwall County Council with six districts, Caradon, Carrick, Kerrier, North Cornwall, Penwith, and Restormel. The Council of the Isles of Scilly was and remains a separate unitary authority.

On 5 December 2007 the Government confirmed that Cornwall would move to unitary status.^[3] This was enacted by statutory instrument as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England,^[4] despite being defeated in a referendum.

The changes took effect on 1 April 2009. On that date the six districts and their councils were abolished and the county council assumed the powers of the district councils. Cornwall County Council became known as Cornwall Council.

[edit] Logo controversy

The proposed new logo, dropped in January 2009

The original proposals for a new logo and motto for Cornwall's new unitary authority were met with widespread criticism from the general public with demands that the old logo and motto be kept. ^[5][6][7][8] On 29 January 2009 the Cornwall Council Implementation Executive deceided to revert to using the former County Council logo with just a change in name from "Cornwall County Council" to "Cornwall Council".^[9]

In March 2009 the leader of Cornwall County Council David Whalley announced he would be standing down as a councillor, complaining of personal attacks against him.^[10]

[edit] 2009 Cornwall Council elections

Elections for the new unitary Cornwall Council were held on 4 June 2009 and there were 123 members elected, replacing the previous 82 councillors on Cornwall County Council and the 249 on the six district councils.^[11] The outgoing Cornwall County Council had 48 Liberal Democrat members, nine Conservatives, five Labour, one from the small Liberal Party with the remaining 19 seats held by Independent candidates. Mebyon Kernow had no county councillors, but nine district councillors, before the two-tier system was abolished.^[12]

[edit] 2009 Cornwall Council results

The Lib Dems lost overall control of Cornwall Council to 'no overall control' - this means that no single party has overall control of the new council despite the Conservatives have the largest number of councillors, however they do not have enough for a majority control.^[13] The Conservatives received 34% of the vote (50 seats), followed by the Liberal Democrats on 28% (38 seats), the Independents on 23% (32 seats) and Mebyon Kernow on 4% (3 seats). The turnout was 41%. Labour, the Green Party, UKIP and the BNP failed to secure any seats in Cornwall.^[14]

Several of the Independents elected are well known Cornish campaigners such as Bert Biscoe (Truro Moresk), Mark Kaczmarek (St Day & Lanner), John Keeling (Breague), Graeme Hicks (Redruth South), Steve Eva (Falmouth Arwenack), Mike Varney (Falmouth Boslowick), Grenville Chappel (Falmouth Penwerris), David Saunby (Falmouth Trescobeas), John Pollard (Hayle North), John Coombe (Hayle South), Judith Haycock (Helston Central), Irene Bailey (Ludgvan), Harry Heywood (Newquay Treviglas), Mary May (Penryn West), Sue Pass (Penzance Promenade), Michael Callan (Perranporth), Andrew Wallis (Porthleven & Helston South), Bob Egerton (Probus), Lisa Dolley (Redruth North), John Wood (Roche), Julian German (Roseland), Derek Holley (Saltash Pill), Pat Harvey (St Columb), Fred Greenslade (St Dennis), Chris Goninan (St Just in Penwith), Pam Lyne (St Keverne & Meneage), Des Curnow (St Stephen), John Lugg (St Teath), Neil Plummer (Stithians), Neil Burden (Stoke Climsland) and Collin Brewer (Wadebridge East).^[15]

[edit] Council history

Old County Hall in Truro, which used to be the Council HQ, but is now used for other council offices

The following table shows shows party control of of the Cornwall Council and its predecessor Cornwall County Council, following each election since 1973.

[edit] External links

• Cornwall Council website

[edit] References

v • d • e 2009 structural changes to local government in England   Bedfordshire Abolished Bedfordshire • Mid Bedfordshire • South Bedfordshire New Bedford • Central Bedfordshire Existing (1990s) Luton   Cheshire Abolished Cheshire • Chester • Congleton • Crewe and Nantwich • Ellesmere Port and Neston • Macclesfield • Vale Royal New Cheshire West and Chester • Cheshire East Existing (1990s) Warrington • Halton   Cornwall Abolished Penwith • Kerrier • Carrick • Restormel • Caradon • North Cornwall New Cornwall Existing (1890s) Isles of Scilly   Durham Abolished Durham • Easington • Sedgefield • Chester-le-Street • Derwentside • Wear Valley • Teesdale New Durham Existing (1990s) Hartlepool • Darlington • Stockton-on-Tees   Northumberland Abolished Blyth Valley • Wansbeck • Castle Morpeth • Tynedale • Alnwick • Berwick-upon-Tweed New Northumberland Existing (1990s) None   Shropshire Abolished North Shropshire • Oswestry • Shrewsbury and Atcham • South Shropshire • Bridgnorth New Shropshire Existing (1990s) Telford and Wrekin   Wiltshire Abolished Salisbury • West Wiltshire • Kennet • North Wiltshire New Wiltshire Existing (1990s) Swindon