# 2025 Cornwall Council election

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.
At the previous election in 2021 the Conservatives gained majority control of the council. 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.

## Background

Cornwall Council is a unitary authority which has held elections every four years since its creation in 2009. In the previous election in 2021, the Conservative Party won a majority of seats, taking over governance of the council from the previous Liberal Democrat coalition with independent councillors.
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. 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. This deal agreed to devolved powers and additional funding over Adult Education, Green Energy, and Cornish Cultural activities.
In January 2023, Paul Willis, Independent Councillor for the St Columb Major, St Mawgan & St Wenn ward, aligned himself to the Conservative group.
During December 2023, Cllr. Steve Arthur, who represents Perranporth, resigned from the Conservative group. Cllr Arthur, who now sits non-aligned as "Stand Alone Conservative", stated complaints with the strategic planning committee over the approval of a solar farm within his ward.
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 and Cllr Adrian Harvey (St Newlyn East, Cubert and Goonhavern ward) resigned after citing issues with Conservative Leader Linda Taylor’s leadership.

## Council composition

| After 2021 election | After 2021 election | After 2021 election | Before 2025 election | Before 2025 election | Before 2025 election | 2025 election result | 2025 election result | 2025 election result |
| Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats |
| | 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.
Long Rock, Marazion and St Erth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Martin | 811 | 45.4 | 22.0 |
| | Conservative | Will Elliott | 503 | 28.1 | 8.3 |
| | Green | Catherine Hayes | 244 | 13.6 | 2.5 |
| | Labour | Nastassia Player | 230 | 12.9 | 1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 308 | 17.3 | 4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,788 | 32.4 | 10.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 15.1 | |

### 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", a by-election was called on 27th of February 2024. The poll took place on Thursday 4 April 2024. The seat was retained by the Liberal Democrats with a reduced vote share, securing 44.8% of the vote.
Looe West, Pelynt, Lansallos and Lanteglos :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jim Candy | 604 | 44.8 | 16.6 |
| | Conservative | Richard Dorling | 414 | 30.7 | 0.5 |
| | Labour | Amy Louise Ladd | 254 | 18.9 | 10.5 |
| | Green | Paul Clark | 75 | 5.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 210 | 15.5 | 15.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1353 | 28.28 | 13.72 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 16.6 | |

### 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. The seat was retained by the Labour party with a reduced vote share, securing 43.5% of the vote.
Falmouth Penwerris :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Rowe | 337 | 43.5 | 20.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Spargo | 228 | 29.4 | 24.7 |
| | Green | Jackie Walkden | 189 | 24.4 | 16.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 109 | 14.1 | 30.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 775 | 15.5 | 21.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 20.2 | |

## Opinion polls
### Seat projections

| Date(s) conducted | Pollster | Client | Sample size | Area | Con | LD | Lab | Grn | Ref | Others |
| 1 – 10 Mar 2025 | Electoral Calculus | Daily Telegraph | 5,421 | GB | 16 | 25 | 12 | 1 | 13 | 20 |
| 6 May 2021 | 2021 local elections | 2021 local elections | – | – | 47 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 21 |