Kate Kennally

Council OfficerCEOCornwall Council

Subject of a Cornwall Political Watch investigation. Cornwall Council confirmed on 4 September 2026 that its chief executive is on a leave of absence, and had given no reason for it by 21 September 2026. Cornwall Political Watch's report covers what the public record does show: the council's statement, the closed meetings of the Chief Officers' Employment Committee, the appointment of an interim deputy chief executive, and an unanswered public question at Full Council. No allegation is made against her. Read the Cornwall Council's absent chief executive — and what the council will not say.

About

Kate Kennally has served as Chief Executive of Cornwall Council since January 2016. She brought over two decades of local government experience to the role, having previously spent ten years in senior positions at the London Borough of Barnet, with earlier career stints in the NHS and voluntary sector across Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and the wider South East.

Her professional background is rooted in people services — she started her career working in care — and she has focused Cornwall Council's agenda on inclusive economic growth, community empowerment, and public sector partnerships through a "double devolution" approach.

Key initiatives under her leadership include:

Climate target: Committing Cornwall Council to carbon neutrality by 2030, twenty years ahead of the national target.
Spaceport Cornwall: Driving the horizontal satellite launch project at Cornwall Airport Newquay in partnership with the LEP, Goonhilly Earth Station, and Virgin Orbit.
Service transformation: Reconfiguring council roles, deepening cross-sector partnerships, and accelerating improvement across council services.

She also serves as a Lead Advisor for the Association of County Chief Executives (ACCE).

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