BBC Cornwall
By-election candidates revealed after councillor dies
Six candidates will stand in a by-election for Cornwall Council's Newquay Porth and Tretherras division following the death of Reform councillor Kevin Towill.
Councillor dossier
Kevin Towill(deceased)
Former councillor — deceased. Cllr Kevin Towill died in office on . The activity record below is preserved for the public record. The Newquay Porth & Tretherras ward seat has since been filled by by-election.
Data last refreshed:
Attendance
85%
present at meetings
Rank
66
of 88 councillors
Active red flags
0
no current flags
Conduct cases
0
no recorded cases
Attendance
86%overall attendance
| Committee | Held | Attended | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee | 5 | 4 | 80% |
| Cabinet | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| Community Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee | 5 | 4 | 80% |
| Constitution and Governance Committee | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| Cornwall Council | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Corporate Finance and Performance Overview and Scrutiny Committee | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Miscellaneous Licensing Committee | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Sustainable Growth and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee | 5 | 4 | 80% |
Voting Record
No recorded votes.
Election History
CompetitiveScore: 63/100→ Stable
Won by 217 votes (11.7%)5.8% swing needed to unseat
Councillor Kevin Towill retained the Newquay Porth & Tretherras seat with 704 votes, a majority of 217 votes (11.67% over the Liberal Democrat runner‑up) and a required swing of 5.84% to be unseated. Compared with the 2021 election, his vote count fell by 291 votes (from 995 to 704) and the margin narrowed by 21.4 percentage points, giving him a vulnerability score of 63 out of 100, indicating a competitive position.
Cornwall Council Elections 2025 (2025)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Towill | Reform UK | 704 | 37.9% | ✓ |
| Sandy Carter | Liberal Democrat | 487 | 26.2% | |
| Oliver Monk | Conservative | 386 | 20.8% | |
| Valerie Linda Martin | Labour | 282 | 15.2% |
Turnout: 33.0% (1,859 of 5,634 electors) · 10 spoilt votes
Cornwall Council Elections 2021 (2021)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Towill | Conservative | 995 | 57.6% | ✓ |
| Joanna Kenny | Liberal Democrat | 424 | 24.6% | |
| Joey Bishop | Labour | 245 | 14.2% | |
| Angie Rayner | Reform UK | 62 | 3.6% |
Meeting Activity
Present
Cornwall Council - 20 January 2026
Present20 Jan 2026
Present
Present
Cabinet - 17 December 2025
Present17 Dec 2025
Present
Cornwall Council - 25 November 2025
Present25 Nov 2025
Present
Cabinet - 12 November 2025
Present12 Nov 2025
Apologies
Apologies
Apologies
Cabinet - 24 September 2025
Present24 Sept 2025
Present
Present
Cornwall Council - 16 September 2025
Present16 Sept 2025
Other media mentions
News coverage
View all 52 articles →cornwalllive.com
Green Party candidate snubs Reform UK man's handshake after Cornwall by-election at Newquay - Cornwall Live
Green Party candidate Abigail Hubbucks refused to shake hands with Reform UK winner Lyndon Harrison after Cornwall council by-election defeat.
cornwalllive.com
Cornwall Council by-election: A good night for Reform UK, a bad night for Labour - Cornwall Live
A taxi driver won the Newquay Porth & Tretherras by-election for Reform UK, with the Green Party finishing second.
cornwalllive.com
Green Party calls foul on Reform UK tactics in Cornwall by-election - Cornwall Live
Green Party accuses Reform UK of exploiting electoral law loopholes to overspend on Cornwall by-election campaigning materials.
plymouthherald.co.uk
Cornwall Council by-election candidates named following death of Reform UK councillor - Cornwall Live
Cornwall Council has named six candidates for the Newquay Porth and Tretherras by-election following the death of Reform UK councillor Kevin Towill.
cornwalllive.com
By-election following death of Cornwall Council's first Reform UK member - Cornwall Live
A by-election will be held April 23 for the Newquay Porth and Tretherras Cornwall Council seat following Kevin Towill's death.
Coverage from cornwalllive.com, devonlive.com, plymouthherald.co.uk. May not be exhaustive.
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<iframe src="https://cornwallpoliticalwatch.com/embed/councillor/kevin-towill" width="350" height="250" frameborder="0"></iframe>Frequently asked questions
- Who was Cllr Kevin Towill?
- Kevin Towill was a Cornwall councillor representing the Newquay Porth & Tretherras ward as a Reform UK member. Kevin Towill died in office on 10 February 2026; the seat has since been filled by by-election.
- What ward does Kevin Towill represent?
- Kevin Towill represents Newquay Porth & Tretherras on Cornwall Council until their death in 10 February 2026.
Browse related councillors
Also for Newquay Porth & Tretherras
- Lyndon Harrison (Reform UK)
More Reform UK councillors
- Angus Black (Calstock)
- Bruce Craze (Four Lanes, Beacon & Troon)
- Cliff Crawford (Illogan & Portreath)
- Elaine Kist (St Stephen-In-Brannel)
- Heinz Glanville (St Columb Minor & Colan)