Cornwall Council - 21 April 2026

The meeting opened with a prayer led by Chaplain Diane Willoughby of the RNAS Culdrose Chaplain team and a statement that no members had declarations of interest. The Chairman reported recent royal engagements – the King and Queen’s visit to the Eden Project and the forthcoming two‑day visit of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh – and welcomed the Council’s new Section 151 Officer. He also announced the deaths of two former chairmen, Jim Philp (served 1998‑2002) and Pat Harvey (served 2009‑2013), for which Councillor Candy and the Deputy Leader gave tributes before a minute’s silence was observed.

The Leader’s report highlighted two priority areas. First, a motion on children’s dental access led to the decision to convene a summer dentistry summit, aiming to bring NHS partners, the Integrated Care Board and other stakeholders together on prevention‑first and pilot initiatives, and to continue lobbying the Government. Second, the Leader updated members on the Interceltic Business Forum, noting the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Isle of Man, the promotion of 2026 as the Year of Cornwall, and upcoming participation in the Interceltic Festival in Brittany. Progress on the “Belonging in Cornwall” equality strategy was also reported: the draft strategy was endorsed by the Corporate Finance and Performance Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 17 March and sent for public consultation, while the Constitution and Governance Committee removed the mandatory e‑learning requirement from the Member Development Strategy.

A total of 56 public questions were received, prompting the Chairman to allow flexibility beyond the usual 30‑minute limit and to group related questions. Key topics addressed included the Council’s renewable‑energy portfolio and the £8 million Renewable Energy and Low‑Carbon Technology Investment Fund; the lack of a companion bus pass for disabled passengers and the funding constraints involved; pending Natural England evidence for the River Camel SAC; the use of Newquay Airport by military aircraft; the purpose and ring‑fencing of private‑landlord HMO licence fees; and the financial risk associated with the council‑owned company Treveth, for which a review of financing and delivery options was outlined. The Leader also confirmed that the complaint against Councillor Dulcie Tudor was handled under existing procedures, with a standards‑committee review planned for the summer.

Several motions were resolved. The Council approved the allocation of seats as set out in Appendix 1 and adopted changes to the Financial Governance Framework and Financial Approvals Process. The revised Protocol for Member/Officer Relations was approved with specific wording amendments, and the minutes of the 24 February meeting were formally recorded. Other substantive motions included: a request to the Cabinet to make Penrice and Poltair Schools joint designated areas for Mevagissey pupils and to review the wider admissions policy; a call on the Director of Public Health to improve children’s oral‑health provision through school programmes, dental vans and registration of Looked‑After Children; a motion urging the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to address Cornwall’s exclusion from the “Pride in Place” funding programme; and a motion to pause the re‑introduction of glyphosate for urban weed treatment pending a meaningful public consultation and a review of the opt‑out financial arrangements. The