Cornwall Council’s leader Linda Taylor has announced she is standing down at the next election on May 1. The news comes after she survived a bid to oust her in November.

Cllr Taylor, who represents St Ives East, Lelant and Carbis Bay, has been leader since the Conservative group won a majority in the 2021 election; a majority they lost last month when Conservative councillor Mike McLening defected to the Independents.

Announcing her resignation at the end of the current term, she said: “It’s been an honour and a privilege to serve the residents of Cornwall as leader for the last four years. From my first weeks representing the residents of Cornwall on the global stage for the G7 summit, I have done everything I can to listen to our communities and promote their interests both home and abroad.

“One of the real privileges of this job has been meeting so many interesting people, with stories and passion, who also want the best for their communities and businesses. Cornwall is so very important to me and I am extremely proud I was born here.

“The decision to stand down at the end of this administration is the right decision at this moment in time. The Cabinet and administration have delivered in exceptional tough times, and at times , we have had to make some hard decisions, but we have invested into ASC (adult social care), we have created amazing business opportunities with the Shared Prosperity Funding of 147 million. We have created affordable housing programmes that will make a difference. There is so much more we have done. Thank you to everyone and I so appreciate the kindness, engagement and meeting so many of you.”

It’s certainly been a testing time to be leader of Cornwall Council, which is now over £1-billion in debt. There have been controversies, including the stalled deal to find a partner to help finance Newquay airport and the thwarted efforts to install a Mayor of Cornwall. The housing crisis and a possible Devonwall combined authority devolution deal thrust upon it continue to put pressure on the Conservative administration.

Politics has already entered the equation, with Independent councillor Tim Dwelly commenting: “Linda has clearly recognised not only that she was about to lose her own election in Lelant and Carbis Bay, but that the Conservatives are about to to lose control of Cornwall Council. No one will believe any other explanation for this announcement.

“Her Conservative administration has been a disaster in Cornwall, at least in part because of its incompetence and contempt for Cornish traditions. Linda’s attempt for a whole year to impose a Mayor on Cornwall and to say she wanted the job was a terrible political mistake. One she never recovered from.”

The contentious decision by Cllr Taylor’s cabinet to seek a financial partnership with a private equity firm to run and develop the Newquay airport estate was cited as the reason for a vote of no confidence in November. The motion brought by Conservative rebel John Conway – who resigned from the Conservative group earlier in 2024 – was unsuccessful with Cllr Taylor living to lead for a few more weeks, with 43 voting against ousting her, 32 in favour and five abstentions.

It was during that meeting that the leader was called the “new Margaret Thatcher” by one of her party.