Plea to avoid 'disruption' as Tories lose majority

The leader of Cornwall Council has urged opposition members not to "upset the applecart" after her administration lost its majority.

Councillor Mike McLening quit the ruling Conservative and non-aligned Conservative group this week to become independent.

That left councillor Linda Taylor's administration with 43 of the 87 seats on the authority - meaning they could be outvoted and theoretically have less control over scrutiny committees.

Taylor said she hoped councillors would now work collaboratively in the remaining months of this administration ahead of the local elections this May.

McLening, who has represented St Stephen-in-Brannel for eight years, said he had no issues with Taylor but felt he had a better chance of winning re-election as an independent.

"I feel there's a loss of trust and faith in political parties these days. I can now focus even more on residents. Hopefully they'll trust me for another term," he said.

He added he wanted the freedom to vote against the authority's upcoming budget if he opposed the council's proposed £50m of savings for the next financial year.

The Tories briefly lost their majority on the council last year after two members quit after falling out with Taylor.

They took back control after non-aligned member, councillor Paul Wills, agreed to join a new Conservative and non-aligned Conservative group.

Taylor admitted she was disappointed about McLening's resignation: "He believes he's made that decision for the right reasons and we will wave and look at one another from across the chamber."

She said: "We've shown that we can come together and work. I am hoping that we can work collaboratively together with just a couple of months to go.

"It would be quite disruptive to try and upset the applecart, but who knows what's in opposition leaders minds."

All 87 of the seats on Cornwall Council are due to be contested at this year's local elections.

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