INCENSED councillors ignored their own lawyer’s warning and hammered Cornwall Council’s leadership with a barrage of difficult and awkward questions concerning the growing scandal about a top Tory councillor being given a head role at Spaceport Cornwall – which is run by the council-owned Corserv company – when other more qualified applicants did not even receive an interview.

The controversy was raised several times during members’ questions at the last full council meeting to take place before the May 1 elections despite the monitoring officer – the council’s lead solicitor Paul Grant – emailing all councillors yesterday (Monday, April 14) warning them that if they raised the matter they would not get any answers.

Devon and Cornwall Police are investigating after Cllr Louis Gardner was part of a board meeting which granted £200,000 to the spaceport while he was still cabinet member for the economy. He was going through the application process at the time and was given the £70,00-a-year job of head of future air and space days later. He hadn’t declared a pecuniary interest during the meeting.

The issue dominated the 100-minute meeting at County Hall/Lys Kernow in Truro today (Tuesday, April 15). The monitoring officer had decided the meeting would not be livestreamed to the public due to the pre-election period of heightened sensitivity, though a recording will be made available after the elections. Cllr did not attend the meeting.

Before the meeting even started there was no escaping the controversy when Tory rebels Cllr Steve Arthur (Perranporth) and Cllr John Conway (Launceston South) arrived wearing NASA spacesuits, much to the amusement of many of their colleagues. The councillors, who resigned from the Conservative group to start an independent non-aligned group, said they had pulled the stunt to highlight the issue.

Cllr Arthur said: “It’s either complicity or complacency and both aren’t great ideals to have in public office. Heads have got to roll. There are good people in this chamber from across the county and we’re all getting tarred with the same brush.

“I drive a tractor so if there’s a shuttle job going at the spaceport I am available,” he added, mocking Cllr Gardner’s credentials for the head of future air and space role. There had been 26 other applicants for the job, many with significant air and space sector experience.

Cllr Julian German (Independent, The Roseland) started proceedings by asking if councillors have to declare any new employment within 28 days on their register of interests. Mr Grant said that was correct. Cllr Gardner, who will stand down as councillor for Newquay Central and Pentire on election day, has still not declared his spaceport job on his register of interests despite his employment being announced at the start of March.

Two public questions were dedicated to the matter. Graham Smith, of St Mabyn, asked: “Regarding the appointment of Cllr Gardner to head of air and space, does the Corserv shareholder [the council] agree with the North Cornwall MP Ben Maguire who has ‘deep concerns about transparency, integrity and public trust’ – and if the shareholder does not agree, then why not?”

Outgoing Conservative council leader Linda Taylor, who appointed Cllr Gardner to the role of cabinet member for the economy, replied: “The shareholder sought and received assurances from Corserv regarding the nature of the appointment. We understand that this was subject to a proper and impartial selection process which included public advertisements for the role, shortlisting based on qualifications and structured interviews. Whilst this appointment was itself not in the scope of political appointments, it met the requirements of the Nolan Principles [for conduct in public office].”

There were some whistles of derision in the chamber at her response. Peter Elliot, of Truro, asked: “Does the leader of Cornwall Council believe that the Nolan Principles of honesty, objectivity, accountability, selflessness, openness, leadership and integrity must apply to all members of Cornwall Council cabinet at all times?”

Cllr Taylor responded that the general principles of public life are based on the code of conduct of all councils in England and that all councillors need to act in accordance with that code while acting in an official capacity. “Then why didn’t they?” replied Captain Elliot.

During councillors’ questions to cabinet members, Cllr Dominic Fairman (Lib Dem, St Teath and Tintagel) said: “I have in front of me the very impressive CV of one of the 27 applicants for the role of head of future air and space. They have 30 years’ experience in aviation and maritime, three separate degrees in management and engineering, and a world of experience in making transformational change for major projects.

“This was the first application they’ve made where they didn’t make the shortlist. They applied on July 30 last year and heard absolutely nothing until October 7 when they were simply told their application would not be taken forward.” He said the move to employ Cllr Gardner for the role started during the same month.

Cllr Fairman asked that in light of this information, did the leader not agree that “this deeply flawed and quite frankly sullied employment process now brings the reputation of the whole of this council into disrepute?” His comments got a resounding round of applause and calls of “hear, hear”.

Cllr Taylor replied: “I don’t really know how to answer this – I’m looking at the monitoring officer because I don’t know anything about what you’re referring to in relation to this application. I have clearly not been involved in the process, but I am aware that the whole process has been looked at and is being looked at, and I have noted what you have said.” Cllr Fairman said he would hold her to her word that the process is being looked at.

Cllr Paul Wills (Conservative and Independent Conservative Aligned, St Columb Major, St Mawgan and St Wenn) said: “Yesterday we received an email from the monitoring officer saying he was mindful of press reports regarding a police investigation and such an investigation would take precedence over any council investigation. It’s a simple question for the leader of the council, has the council been informed – yes or no – of any police investigation regarding the employment of Cllr Gardner as head of air and space?”

Cllr Taylor replied: “If you’re asking me as leader, the answer is going to be no. If you’re asking me as the council, I’d have to defer to the monitoring officer.” Monitoring officer Mr Grant refused to say. Cllr Wills pressed him and again he refused to answer. “If the answer is no,” added Cllr Wills, “then would the leader agree that the next administration should hold a full, open, frank and transparent inquiry as to how this situation actually occurred?” Cllr Taylor said it was not for her to determine the future actions of the next cabinet.

Cllr Leigh Frost (Lib Dem, Bodmin St Petroc’s) continued the theme. “Does the leader agree with me that it’s unwise to prevent members from asking certain questions to cabinet members that are clearly in the interest of this council and the public?” She responded that she is guided by advice given by the monitoring officer.

“Do you not feel these actions further erode the public confidence in our political institutions?” added Cllr Frost. The Tory leader replied: “You make a valid point and at the end of the day I would want to be guided by how I deal with things. You’ve got to be honest, you’ve got to be transparent and do the right thing for the council and for our residents.”

Appearing to distance herself from her previous cabinet colleague Cllr Gardner, she added: “I would be disappointed with any elected member who does not follow through on those principles.”

Cllr John Conway, still wearing his spacesuit, asked Cllr Taylor if she accepted that Cllr Gardner being employed by Corserv for the spaceport role, and the resultant “public outcry”, would cost her party 50 per cent of the seats they originally thought they would retain.

She said: “I want to reinforce what has already been indicated that neither myself nor any member of this administration were involved in the process of the appointment of the spaceport head. I also want to categorically confirm that I wasn’t in a position to interfere with that process because I wasn’t aware and it was nothing to do with elected members.”

Cllr Conway added: “Surely the leader should have been aware if one of her cabinet members had applied for a senior position with one of Cornwall Council’s companies?” The leader replied: “He did not apply for a job with Cornwall Council. He applied for a job within the group of companies.”

Cllr Arthur, who was also still wearing his astronaut suit 90 minutes after the meeting had started, asked the leader directly if she knew that Cllr Gardner had applied for the job in October. She simply said ‘no’.