Linda Taylor, leader of Cornwall Council, will resign May 1, months after surviving a no-confidence vote. Pressures mount amid financial struggles.
Taylor represents St Ives East and nearby areas. Her party won most seats in 2021. They lost their majority last month, after a councillor joined the Independents group.
Taylor said it was an honor to lead. She represented residents for four years and promoted their interests worldwide after the G7 Summit.
She said she met many passionate people who wanted good things for Cornwall. Cornwall is very important to her, as it is her birthplace.
She thinks stepping down is now the right decision. Her team worked hard in tough times. They invested in adult social care, created business opportunities with funding, and built affordable housing. She thanked everyone for their kindness.
Leading the council has been hard, especially with the council’s large debt. A Newquay airport deal stalled, and attempts to install a Mayor failed. Housing issues add pressure, complicating matters further.
Another councillor, Tim Dwelly, commented, stating that Taylor knew she would lose her seat and that her party will likely lose control too. He calls her leadership a disaster, adding that she showed contempt for Cornwall history.
Her plan for a mayor was a bad mistake. The Cabinet sought a private partner for Newquay Airport, which eventually led to the no confidence vote that John Conway, a rebel, proposed. The vote subsequently failed, and she stayed in her place.
Someone in her party had even called her “new Margaret Thatcher.”
