Leader survives vote of no confidence

Conservative Linda Taylor has been leader of Cornwall Council since 2021

The leader of Cornwall Council has been backed to remain in post after a vote of no confidence went in her favour.

Opposition councillors forced the ballot over their unhappiness with Linda Taylor's style of management and some policies the authority has pursued.

Taylor rejected that criticism - and defended the record of her Conservative administration since coming to power in 2021.

At an extraordinary full council meeting, members backed her to remain in the job by a margin of 43 to 32 with five abstaining.

The ballot was triggered when a third of councillors signed a letter expressing they had lost confidence in Mrs Taylor.

They also objected to controversial plans to bring in a private operator to manage the Newquay Airport estate.

The motion to oust her was put forward by Councillor John Conway, member for Launceston South, who fell out with the leader and resigned from the ruling Conservative group earlier this year.

All of the seats on Cornwall Council are due to be contested at the next local elections in May.