All 29 councillors, including a Cornish MP, who want to see Cornwall Council’s Tory leader Linda Taylor removed from office have been named.

Her former Conservative colleague Cllr John Conway has proposed a motion for a vote of no confidence (VONC) in Cllr Taylor, which will take place at an extraordinary meeting on Thursday, November 7.

If successful, Cllr Taylor would be removed as leader and a new one elected. 

Cllr Conway, who resigned from the Tory group a few months ago after calling Cllr Taylor a “dictator” and is now leader of the council’s politically non-aligned group, tabled the motion on Friday, October 11.

It was seconded by former Cornwall Council leader, Independent councillor Julian German, with the necessary 29 signatures – a third of sitting councillors – to go to the vote. It missed by two signatures when a deadline for a previous VONC motion was reached earlier in the month.

They cited concerns over Cllr Taylor and her Cabinet’s decision to forge ahead with finding a financial partner to run and develop the council’s Newquay airport estate.

The other councillors who want to see her ousted are:

Steve Arthur (Non-aligned former Tory, Perranporth)

Stephen Barnes (Labour, Redruth North)

Jim Candy (Lib Dem, Looe West, Pelynt, Lansallos & Lanteglos)

Nicky Chopak (Lib Dem, Poundstock)

Tim Dwelly (Independent, Penzance East)

Kate Ewert (Labour, Rame Peninsula & St Germans)

Dominic Fairman (Lib Dem, St Teath & Tintagel)

John Fitter (Independent, St Columb Minor & Colan)

Hilary Frank (Lib Dem, Saltash Essa)

Leigh Frost (Lib Dem, Bodmin St Petroc’s)

Andrew George MP (Lib Dem, Ludgvan, Madron, Gulval & Heamoor)

Adrian Harvey (Non-aligned former Tory, St Newlyn East, Cubert & Goonhavern)

Dorothy Kirk (Labour, Calstock)

Peter La Broy (Independent, Bude)

Laurie Magowan (Labour, Falmouth Arwenack)

Thalia Marrington (Lib Dem, Mousehole, Newlyn & St Buryan)

John Martin (Lib Dem, Long Rock, Marazion & St Erth)

Andrew Mitchell (Independent, St Ives West & Towednack)

Pete Mitchell (Lib Dem, St Agnes)

Rob Nolan (Lib Dem, Truro Boscawen & Redannick)

Adrian Parsons (Lib Dem, Altarnun & Stoke Climsland)

Adam Paynter (Independent, Launceston North & North Petherwin)

Pat Rogerson (Lib Dem, Bodmin St Mary’s & St Leonard)

Alan Rowe (Labour, Falmouth Penwerris)

David Saunby (Independent, Falmouth Trescobeas & Budock)

Mike Thomas (Independent, Helston North)

Paul White (Independent, Camborne Trelowarren).

If the vote of no confidence is won the meeting will also include the election of a new leader.

When the motion was tabled last month we contacted Cllr Taylor – who represents St Ives East, Lelant and Carbis Bay, and has been council leader since 2021 – to get her reaction.

She said at the time: “I think it’s a predicted play by the leader of the … I don’t quite know what they call themselves, actually … Cllr Conway, and Cllr German. We’re coming towards the last seven/eight months of our administration – I find it a little strange in relation to the airport.

“Quite clearly, nobody has actually seen a deal; Cabinet haven’t seen a deal, we’re still in discussions. I find the timing a little bit odd. There’s obviously more to a vote of no confidence than the airport when you haven’t actually seen the deal. There has to be something else going on.”

Speaking to other opposition councillors gives a sense they feel there’s a lack of communication over big council projects like the Pydar and Langarth developments, the delivery of which has been stalled by the economic downturn.

Cllr Taylor responded that the VONC was purely down to the airport deal, but was quick to slam Independent councillors, who are among those who have signed the move against her, particularly Cllr German, who she labelled a puppeteer.

She said of the forthcoming vote: “I still want the best for Cornwall and I can’t let it affect me. It must not interfere with the normal business of this Conservative administration.”

The vote of no confidence is almost an exact reversal of a similar move to oust Cllr German when he was leader of the council at the beginning of 2021. An extraordinary full council meeting was called that April after the motion was tabled by Cllr Taylor, who was then Tory group leader.

The motion to remove Cllr German as leader was lost with 40 votes in favour, 65 against and seven abstentions. A few weeks later, the Conservative group was voted into power. The next Cornwall Council election is on May 1, 2025.

Former Tory leader of Cornwall Council Alec Robertson was removed from office following a vote of no confidence in 2012. The vote was held over the decision to push ahead with plans to part-privatise key council services. The full council had voted against the proposals.