Cornwall Council backs devolution plan with no elected mayor

Cornwall’s Cabinet has picked a path to more power that comes without a mayor and without building a new organisation to run it. Members have agreed to the Government’s proposal to turn Cornwall into a single Foundation Strategic Authority, with the Council itself taking on the role.

The decision keeps strategic choices about Cornwall inside Cornwall, and the Council says it opens the door to securing further powers and funding down the line. Because Cornwall Council would hold the strategic authority role directly, there is no plan for a new body or an elected mayor.

A Cornwall-only footprint

Cllr Leigh Frost, Leader of Cornwall Council, described the move as a “pragmatic but important next step.”

“This decision locks in a Cornwall-only footprint for devolution and strengthens our case for decisions about Cornwall to be made in Cornwall,” he said.

Leigh pointed to the Council’s recent record as evidence it can handle more responsibility. “We have shown that Cornwall can deliver. Over the past four years, our Good Growth Programme has invested £186 million, supported more than 10,000 people into training or employment, created over 1,000 jobs and backed more than 5,000 businesses.”

He was clear that settling the geography is not the finish line. “Agreeing the geography is only half the story. Cornwall now needs the powers and fair funding already available to mayoral authorities so that we can improve transport, support housing for local families, strengthen rural services and tackle inequality with solutions designed for Cornwall.”

The budget in the background

The devolution decision landed alongside an early look at the Council’s budget for 2027/28. Members weighed rising costs and demand across homelessness, children’s services, adult social care and home-to-school transport, the services that tend to absorb pressure first.

Cabinet also signed off a run of plans covering housing delivery through Treveth and Langarth Garden Village, Corserv’s four-year business plan, the Valuing Local Framework, Cornwall’s International Strategy and a new ten-year Cornish Language Strategy.

Funding was accepted to support SEND reforms and to open up opportunities for young people facing barriers to education, employment or training. Support for Forest for Cornwall was extended.

Awards and a farewell

Away from the strategy papers, Leigh congratulated the recipients of the relaunched Cornwall Civic Awards and welcomed a record 1,200 nominations for the Proud to Care awards.

He also thanked Kate Evan-Hughes at her final Cabinet meeting as Strategic Director for Together for Families, recognising her leadership and her service to Cornwall’s children and families.