Cabinet - 18 June 2025

The Cabinet opened with a statement from the Leader, who noted that there were no declarations of interest and thanked members for attending the first meeting of the new Council. He reiterated the promise made when he was elected to place “the basics right” and to centre Cornwall within the Duchy’s communities, describing three key announcements that would mark a departure from the previous administration. The Leader also highlighted the need to address legacy issues and to set a programme of change for the next four years.

A significant governance matter was the appointment of Mr Louis Gardner as Head of Future Air and Space at Cornwall Airport Newquay. An independent report commissioned by Corserv identified failures in the recruitment process and in the airport’s HR and recruitment practices under the former Managing Director. The Monitoring Officer endorsed the report’s recommendations, and the Chief Executive of Corserv confirmed that the failings had been addressed. Because the role did not require Council consent, the Council’s chief executives were unaware of the appointment until after it was accepted. The Leader welcomed the Code of Conduct Decision Notice, which found that Gardner, then a Councillor, had breached the Code by not registering a disclosable pecuniary interest, and a referral to the Police was made. No further action was taken pending the conclusion of any police investigations.

Four public questions were raised. Mr T Hall asked about the use of proceeds from the sale of Council homes; the Housing Portfolio Holder explained that the capital receipts must be reinvested in existing or new homes, cannot fund day‑to‑day services, and may partially be returned to central Government depending on the sale type. Mr D Stevens in an independent audit of Cormac’s highway works; the Transport Portfolio Holder outlined Cormac’s contractual framework, external benchmarking, and value‑for‑money assessments, while acknowledging that specific concerns would be raised with the contractor. Mr G Smith’s query on structural changes to Corserv management and the call for the Corserv Chief Executive’s resignation was deemed already addressed by the Leader’s earlier statements, and no further response was given. Ms D Newman asked about the proposed removal of protected trees on Trelawney Road; the Environment and Climate Change Portfolio Holder confirmed that the Council had paused the work, was arranging a meeting with the “Stop the Chop” campaign, and would reassess the situation after that discussion.

The Deputy Leader presented the Quarter 4 2024/25 Council Performance Report and the Provisional Outturn