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Big name councillors due to stand down at election

Lee Trewhela
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Lee Trewhela/LDRS The Cornwall Council chamber with desks and seats arranged in a circle around the room. The photographer has taken the shot from the back of the room and we can see microphones, laptops and paperwork on councillors' desks.Lee Trewhela/LDRS
Voters will select councillors in May's elections

A number of well-known county councillors in Cornwall have announced they will not be standing for re-election on 1 May.

Cornwall Council's Conservative leader Linda Taylor, who represents St Ives East, Lelant and Carbis Bay, is stepping down.

Deputy leader and cabinet member for resources David Harris (Gloweth, Malabar and Shortlanesend) is also stepping down; as is Andy Virr (Fowey, Tywardreath and Par), the portfolio holder for health and adult social care.

Louis Gardner (Newquay Central and Pentire), cabinet member for the economy, is starting a job as head of future air and space at Cornwall Airport Newquay and will not stand again.

Other Conservatives who are retiring from the unitary authority include:

  • John Bastin (Constantine, Mabe and Mawnan)
  • Sharon Daw (Lynher)
  • Philip Desmonde (Pool and Tehidy)
  • Peter Guest (Roche and Bugle)
  • Peter Perry (Camborne Roskear and Tuckingmill)
  • Stephen Rushworth (Padstow)
  • Sally Anne Weedon (Four Lanes, Beacon and Troon)
  • Martin Worth (Saltash Trematon and Landrake)

The Conservative & Independent Conservative Aligned group also recently lost Kevin Towill (Newquay Porth and Tretherras) after he defected to Reform UK.

Four Liberal Democrats have decided not to stand again, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Andrew George (Ludgvan, Madron, Gulval and Heamoor) leaves to concentrate on his work as Lib Dem MP for St Ives and West Cornwall.

Former group leader Colin Martin (Lostwithiel and Lanreath) is moving away for work, and Pat Rogerson (Bodmin St Mary's and St Leonard) and Dominic Fairman (St Teath and Tintagel) are both retiring.

Armand Toms, who represents Looe East and Deviock, is the only member of the Independent group to retire, while Dorothy Kirk (Calstock) is the only member of the Labour group to stand down in May.

There are also two members of the Mebyon Kernow (MK)/Green Party group not standing again.

MK's Michael Bunney (St Mewan and Grampound) and Tamsyn Widdon, Green councillor for Penryn, are both retiring.

The poll will see 87 seats up for grabs.

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