Cornwall Council

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Cornwall Council
Konsel Kernow
1st unitary term
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type Unicameral
Leadership
Leader of the Council Alec Robertson
Chief Executive Kevin Lavery
Structure
Members 123
Cornwall Council composition May 2011.png
Political groups   Conservative
  Liberal Democrat
  Independent
  Mebyon Kernow
  Labour
  Independent (non-affiliated)
Elections
Voting system First past the post
Last election 4 June 2009
Meeting place
New County Hall.jpg
Lys Kernow, Truro
Website
www.cornwall.gov.uk

Cornwall Council (Cornish: Konsel Kernow) is the unitary authority for Cornwall, in England, United Kingdom. The council, and its predecessor Cornwall County Council, has a tradition of large groups of independents, having been controlled by independents in the 1970s and 1980s. As of the 2009 election, it is run by a Conservative-Independent coalition.

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. For some seeking greater autonomy for Cornwall, the new unitary council could act as a catalyst for further devolution to the region or even as a stepping stone to a Cornish Assembly.[3]

Contents

[edit] Establishment of the unitary authority

Before April 2009, Cornwall was administered as a non-metropolitan county by the 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 was one of five councils that would move to unitary status.[4] This was enacted by statutory instrument as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England,[5] The changes took effect on 1 April 2009. On that date the six districts and Cornwall County Council were abolished and were replaced by 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.[6][7][8][9] On 29 January 2009, the Cornwall Council Implementation Executive decided to revert to using the former County Council logo with just a change in name from "Cornwall County Council" to "Cornwall Council".[10]

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.[11]

The current logo features a chough and the 15 Cornish golden bezants on a black field as used in the arms of the Duchy of Cornwall.[10]

[edit] Name changes

On the creation of the new unitary authority it was decided that the name of the council would be changed from Cornwall County Council to Cornwall Council (Konsel Kernow). It has also been decided by the council to change the name of their meeting place from New County Hall to Lys Kernow (Cornwall Hall) so as to not use the term county.[12]

[edit] Devolution

In 2009, Liberal Democract MP Dan Rogerson introduced a bill in parliament seeking to take power from Whitehall and regional quangos and pass it to the new Cornwall Council, with the intention of transforming the new council into an assembly along the lines of National Assembly for Wales.[13] In November 2010, British Prime Minister David Cameron suggested in comments to the local press that his government would "devolve a lot of power to Cornwall - that will go to the Cornish unitary authority."[14] Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has also said he would meet a cross party group, including the six Cornish MPs, to look at whether more powers could be devolved to Cornwall.[15]


[edit] Cultural projects

Cornwall Council is promoting ten cultural projects as part of a five-year culture strategy. One project is the development of a National Theatre of Cornwall, a collaboration of the Hall for Cornwall, Kneehigh Theatre, Eden Project and Wildworks, to bring world class theatre to people in Cornwall. Cornwall Council has based its idea on the successful National Theatres of Scotland and Wales.[16]

Another of the projects is the proposed creation of a National Library of Cornwall to resolve inadequacies with the current storage of archives.[17] It is hoped that this will bring some important documents concerning Cornish history back to Cornwall as well as providing better public access to those records already held. Cornwall Council is also involved in the project to build a Stadium for Cornwall.

[edit] Cornish ethnic and national identity

Cornwall Council backs the campaign for the Cornish to be recognised as a National Minority in the UK. The council's chief executive Kevin Lavery wrote a letter to the Government in 2010, writing, "Cornwall Council firmly believes that the UK Government should recognise the Cornish as a national minority under the terms of the Framework Convention." Adding that, "Cornwall Council believes that the Government's current restricted interpretation is discriminatory against the Cornish and contradicts the support it gives to Cornish culture and identity through its own departments."[18] Cornwall Council's support was officially reaffirmed as council policy in 2011 with the publication of the Cornish National Minority Report 2, signed and endorsed by the then leaders of every political grouping on the council.[19] The council took an active role in the promotion of the options for registering Cornish ethnicity and national identity on the 2011 UK Census.[20]

[edit] International relations

Since 2008 Cornwall Council and the former county council, together with Cornwall Enterprise, and Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership, have been involved with a Protocol of Cooperation between Cornwall and the Conseil général du Finistère in Brittany. The protocol aims to allow the two regions to work more closely on topics of common interest and engage in a knowledge exchange with the possibility of jointly applying for European funding.[21] Cornwall is also a member of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions, a partnership of European regions, which aims to promote and highlight the value of these regions to Europe. Cornwall comes under the Atlantic Arc Commission sub-division of 30 regions, which has been used to advertise the potential of renewable energy off the Cornish coast to Europe.[22][23]

A scheme arising from these partnerships is MERiFIC (Marine Energy in Far Peripheral and Island Communities) which seeks to advance the adoption of marine energy across the two regions, including the Isles of Scilly.[24] The project has received £4 million of European funding that will be spent in Cornwall and Brittany.[25]

Cornwall County Council organised an event in Brussels in 2008 to promote various aspects of Cornwall, including the Cornish language, food and drink and showcasing Cornwall's design industry. This was part of the Celtic Connections programme of events put together by the Celtic regions as a showcase for culture in Europe.[26]

Various fact finding missions have been organised by councillors to study how other regions and small nations of europe govern themselves successfully. Independent councillor, Bert Biscoe, organised a fact finding mission to Guernsey in 2011 to see if the island's system of government could be adapted to work in Cornwall.[27]

[edit] Composition

Cornwall Council is currently controlled by no overall majority. Composition of Cornwall Council since November 2011:

Party Councillors
Conservative 47
Liberal Democrat 40
Independent 29
Mebyon Kernow 5
Labour 1
Independent (non affiliated) 1
Total 123
Source:[28]

The cabinet consists of Alec Robertson, the Council Leader, and nine other cabinet members. It consists of 6 Conservatives and 4 Independents.[29]

[edit] Elections and changes

See also: Cornwall local elections

[edit] 2009 Cornwall Council elections

Main article: Cornwall Council election, 2009

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.[30] 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.[31]

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.[32] The cabinet of the council was therefore formed as a coalition between the Conservatives and the Independent bloc.[33] 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.[34]

[edit] 2009 St Austell Bay by-election

In a by-election in the St Austell Bay electoral ward on 26 November 2009, the Liberal Democrats gained the seat from the Conservatives. Three parties contested the seat, the Liberal Democrats got 48% of the vote, the Conservatives got 47%, and Labour got 5%.[35]

[edit] 2010 Stithians defection

In August 2010, Councillor Neil Plummer of Stithians left the Independent group and joined Mebyon Kernow.[36]

[edit] 2011 Camborne North by-election

Labour gained their first seat on the council in January 2011 after winning a by-election in the Camborne North ward by 27 votes. This was a gain from the Conservative Party, after their councillor resigned.[37]

[edit] 2011 Liskeard North defection

In June 2011 Liskeard North councillor Jan Powell defected from the Conservatives to join the Liberal Democrats.[38]

[edit] 2011 Wendron by-election

In a by-election for the Wendron seat in November 2011 Loveday Jenkin of Mebyon Kernow was elected, gaining from an independent.[39]

[edit] Council history

Old County Hall in Truro, which used to be the Council HQ, but is now used for other council offices and is the HQ for Cornwall Fire and Rescue and also houses the county's fire control room

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

Year Control
1973 Independent
1977 Independent
1981 Independent
1985 No overall control
1989 No overall control
1993 Liberal Democrat
1997 No overall control
2001 No overall control
2005 Liberal Democrat
2009 No overall control

[edit] References

  1. ^ "We shall overcome – on polling day". www.thisiscornwall.co.uk. Cornwall & Devon Media Ltd. 2009-04-28. http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/shall-overcome-8211-polling-day/article-943996-detail/article.html. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  2. ^ "Council elections 2009: Cornwall". BBC. 2009-05-13. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/8026530.stm. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  3. ^ "Cornish 'breakaway' Bill for Parliament". This is Cornwall. 13 uly 2009. http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Cornish-breakaway-Parliament/story-11447122-detail/story.html. Retrieved 16 January 2012. 
  4. ^ "Unitary status agreed for council". BBC. 2007-12-05. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7129905.stm. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  5. ^ "Cornwall (Structural Change) Order 2008". Office of Public Sector Information. 2008-02-25. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080491_en_1. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  6. ^ "Motto mauled as 'sop to Cornish'". BBC. 2008-11-07. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7715956.stm. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  7. ^ "Council logo 'a waste of money'". BBC. 2008-07-29. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7530986.stm. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  8. ^ "Council logo 'like Don King hair'". BBC. 2008-06-24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7470564.stm. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  9. ^ "Mebyon Kernow votes against new logo". Mebyon Kernow. http://www.mebyonkernow.org/?q=news/167. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  10. ^ a b "Implementation Executive decide on logo for new Cornwall Council". Cornwall Council. 2009-01-28. http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=17448. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  11. ^ "Cornwall Council leader David Whalley quits". BBC. 2009-03-11. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7936554.stm. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  12. ^ http://cllrandrewwallis.blogspot.com/2010/09/stadium-for-cornwall-truro.html
  13. ^ "http://www.danrogerson.org/2009/07/14/mp-calls-for-more-power-to-cornwall/". Dan Rogerson official site. http://www.danrogerson.org/2009/07/14/mp-calls-for-more-power-to-cornwall/. Retrieved 16 January 2012. 
  14. ^ "Cameron on Cornwall, cuts and the coalition". This is Cornwall. http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Cameron-Cornwall-cuts-coalition/article-2943680-detail/article.html. Retrieved 12 January 2012. 
  15. ^ "Clegg to discuss greater powers for Duchy with Cornish MPs". Western Morning News. November 16th 2011. http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Clegg-discuss-greater-powers-Duchy-Cornish-MPs/story-13862745-detail/story.html. Retrieved 12 January 2012. 
  16. ^ "National Theatre hope highlighted by report". West Briton. February 02, 2012. http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/National-Theatre-plan/story-15108448-detail/story.html. Retrieved 02 February 2012. 
  17. ^ Cornwall Council - Historic Cornwall Advisory Group - Bagas Kusulya Kernow Istorek - 29 June 2011
  18. ^ "Cornish minority bid gets a big boost". West Briton. April 22, 2010. http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Cornish-minority-bid-gets-big-boost/story-11484099-detail/story.html. Retrieved 12 January 2012. 
  19. ^ Ian Saltern (2011). "Cornish National Minority Report 2". http://www.oldcornwall.org/Cornish%20Minority%20Report%20final%20doc.%20PDF.pdf. Retrieved 12 January 2012. 
  20. ^ "2011 Census: Cornish identity". Cornwall County Council. 5 August 2011. http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=26948. Retrieved 12 January 2012. 
  21. ^ http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.aspx?page=4868
  22. ^ http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.aspx?page=4854
  23. ^ http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=29636
  24. ^ http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.aspx?page=4855
  25. ^ http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=27996
  26. ^ http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4873
  27. ^ Guernsey government may be model for Cornwall - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-guernsey-14629297
  28. ^ "Political Composition". Cornwall Council. http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=23385. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
  29. ^ "Profiles of Cabinet members". Cornwall Council. http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=20247. Retrieved 31 December 2011. 
  30. ^ "Electoral divisions". Cornwall County. 2009-09-02. http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=17444. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  31. ^ "First election for new authority". BBC. 2009-05-13. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/8046155.stm. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  32. ^ "Lib Dems lose control of Cornwall". BBC. 2009-06-05. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/8084706.stm. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  33. ^ "Committee details". Cornwall Council. http://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=577. Retrieved 2010-09-27. 
  34. ^ "Cornwall Council elections - Thursday, 4th June, 2009". Cornwall Council. http://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/mgElectionResults.aspx?ID=1&RPID=112094&TPID=112100&. Retrieved 2009-09-21. 
  35. ^ Cornwall Council - St Austell Bay By-election - Thursday, 26th November, 2009
  36. ^ Dick Cole: Cllr Neil Plummer joins MK group
  37. ^ Thomas, David (14 January 2011). "Labour sees massive swing to triumph in Camborne North election for Cornwall Council". Falmouth Packet. http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/8791436.Labour_triumphs_in_Camborne_North_by_election/?ref=rss. Retrieved 20 September 2011. 
  38. ^ Smith, Graham (17 June 2011). "an Powell quits Tories and joins Lib Dems". bbc.co.uk. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/grahamsmith/2011/06/jan_powell_quits_tories_and_jo.html. Retrieved 20 September 2011. 
  39. ^ "Mebyon Kernow triumph in Wendron election". Falmouth Packet. 25 November 2011. http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/9386600.Mebyon_Kernow_triumph_in_Wendron_election/. Retrieved 26 November 2011. 

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