Week of 2 August 2026

Cllr Dulcie Tudor quits the Independent group, cutting the ruling coalition's numbers

Cllr Dulcie Tudor (Threemilestone & Chacewater) resigned from Cornwall Council's Independent group on 28 July 2026 and now sits as Non-aligned, saying the group had become "little more than Lib Dem-lite". The Independent group falls to 15 members, weakening the Liberal Democrat–Independent administration formed after the May 2025 election. She also criticised the council's approach to net zero planning policy and to scrutiny of SEND provision. Council leader Leigh Frost rejected her characterisation, saying members across the chamber are more involved in decision-making than before. Reported by Cornwall Live's Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Cllr Bruce Craze defects to Restore Britain, taking Reform UK to 20 seats

Cllr Bruce Craze (Four Lanes, Beacon & Troon) left the Reform UK group on 29 July 2026 for Restore Britain, becoming its second Cornwall councillor and its deputy group leader. Reform UK has now lost ten of the 28 councillors it elected in May 2025. Reform's group leader Paul Ashton said the resignation followed a meeting about Craze's performance as a councillor, a claim Cornwall Political Watch has not independently verified.