Councillor dossier
Data last refreshed:
Attendance
94%
present at meetings
Rank
32
of 87 councillors
Active red flags
0
no current flags
Conduct cases
1
code of conduct cases
The complainant alleged that Councillor J O'Keefe, as chair of the licensing committee, unfairly revoked their taxi licence on 15 August 2025 and ignored subsequent evidence, seeking reinstatement. The council rejected the complaint, finding no breach of the Code of Conduct.
Outcome: no breach
1 of the apologies were covered by a substitute; 1 attendance was as a substitute for another member.
| Committee | Held | Attended | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appeals Committee | 12 | 12 | 100% |
| Cornwall Council | 10 | 9 | 90% |
| East Sub-Area Planning Committee | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| Miscellaneous Licensing Committee | 17 | 15 | 88% |
| Urgent Driver/Operator/Vehicle Sub Committee | 6 | 6 | 100% |
| West Sub-Area Planning Committee(1 as substitute) | 1 | 1 | 100% |
Cornwall Council doesn’t publish how individual councillors vote. Its minutes record each decision, not who voted which way.
The councillor's majority increased from 37 votes to 439 votes (24.42%), a swing of 12.21% would be needed to unseat them. Turnout remained low at 33.94%, and the number of candidates fell from four to three. Based on these figures, the seat is assessed as a likely hold.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James O'Keefe | Liberal Democrat | 1,002 | 55.7% | ✓ |
| Richard Harrison | Reform UK | 563 | 31.3% | |
| Oscar Gregory Max Livesey-Lodwick | Conservative | 233 | 13.0% |
Turnout: 33.9% (1,798 of 5,298 electors) · 6 spoilt votes
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Rushworth | Conservative | 908 | 43.9% | ✓ |
| Alec Rickard | Independent | 871 | 42.1% | |
| Jacquie Gammon | Liberal Democrat | 180 | 8.7% | |
| Richard Clark | Independent | 111 | 5.4% |
Fought on the pre-2021 boundaries. The 2017 Padstow division is not the same area as today's ward, and its results are not directly comparable.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Buscombe | Liberal Democrat | 755 | 55.7% | ✓ |
| Nick Morris | Conservative | 493 | 36.4% | |
| Richard James Clark | Green Party | 108 | 8.0% |
Turnout: 42.2% (1,356 of 3,216 electors) · 4 spoilt votes
15 Sept 2026
21 Jul 2026
13 Jul 2026
15 Jun 2026
1 Jun 2026
19 May 2026
21 Apr 2026
13 Apr 2026
No media coverage recorded.
cornwalllive.com
South West Water had 22 sewage spills on day it was fined £8 million for polluting - Cornwall Live
South West Water recorded 22 sewage spills along Cornwall's coast on the same day it was fined nearly £8 million for pollution offences.
cornwalllive.com
Cornwall houses Afghans who 'probably saved British lives' - Cornwall Live
Liberal Democrat councillor James O'Keefe questioned housing Afghan families during Cornwall's housing crisis, incorrectly suggesting council funds were used.
plymouthherald.co.uk
Wellness coach says there are seven rules he always lives by - Plymouth Live
This article is about a wellness coach's personal philosophy, not a Cornwall political figure.
plymouthherald.co.uk
Cornwall Council Cabinet portfolios and committee members revealed - Cornwall Live
Cornwall Council announced new Liberal Democrat Cabinet portfolio holders with Independent Adam Paynter as deputy leader for resources.
cornwalllive.com
Cornwall's most popular political party and councillors based on share of the vote - Cornwall Live
One political party gained 29% of the vote share in Cornwall's recent election, with 17 councillors receiving over 50% in their divisions.
Coverage from cornwalllive.com, devonlive.com, plymouthherald.co.uk. May not be exhaustive.
James O'Keefe represents the Padstow ward as a Liberal Democrat councillor. His meeting attendance stands at 49 out of 52 sessions (94%). There has been one conduct case recorded against him, which resulted in a finding of no breach. No expense data is available, and there are no media mentions. The councillor has zero active red flags.
In the most recent election, O'Keefe’s majority increased from 37 votes to 439 votes (a 24.42% share), requiring a swing of 12.21% to unseat him. Turnout at that election was low at 33.94%, and the number of candidates fell from four to three.
Generated by AI from public data. May contain errors.
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