Cllr Leigh Frost will continue to lead Cornwall Council for the next year after being re-elected at Cornwall Council’s Annual Meeting in Truro today.
Cllr Frost was the only nomination for the role, and vowed to continue the hard work he and his Cabinet colleagues have already undertaken in the past 12 months.
In his ‘State of Cornwall in the National Context’ speech following his election, Cllr Fost told the chamber: “The next year will not be easy.
“If the last two weeks in Westminster are anything to go by, Government is far from certain. Financial pressures remain severe. Demand for adult social care and children’s services continues to rise. The housing crisis remains one of the defining challenges of our time. Roads, transport and infrastructure still need investment.
“We should not pretend otherwise. But Cornwall has communities that look after each other, businesses and innovators with ambition, public servants who work incredibly hard, and a history, culture and identity unlike anywhere else.
“That gives us a responsibility: to be serious, to be honest, to work across political lines where we can, to admit when we fall short, and to keep going.
“It also gives us hope that a brighter future is possible. The people of Cornwall do not need grand promises. They need competence, fairness, and a council that is united and prepared to fight their corner.
“That is what this administration will continue to do.
“We will listen. We will learn. We will speak up for Cornwall. And we will keep working with you all to build a Cornwall where people can afford to live, where children can thrive, where communities have pride and resilience, and where our future is shaped not for us, but by us. One and all.”
Cllr Frost also confirmed the Cabinet committee would remain unchanged.
The meeting also saw Cllr Rob Nolan re-elected as Chairman of Cornwall Council, and Cllr John Thomas re-elected as his Vice-Chairman for the next year.
As well as the elections, the meeting also heard the annual reports from each overview and scrutiny committee from the authority.
There were also four motions debated, including one regarding student transport, one on the renewal of road markings, and one on protecting freedom of speech with the council.
A fourth motion, regarding the mental health and wellbeing of Cornwall’s schoolchildren received widespread support from across the chamber.
It was agreed a Cabinet Advisory Group would be formed to consider the matter of mental and emotional health and wellbeing in schools across Cornwall, engaging with schools in the process, with its findings fed back to both the Cabinet and the Secretary of State at the Department of Education in Westminster.
You can watch a recording of the meeting online via our webcast archive service.
ENDS