A BY-election to find the replacement for new Labour MP Jayne Kirkham on Cornwall Council takes place this week.

For the election, there are three candidates but no representative for the Conservative Party.

Ms Kirkham was elected as MP for Truro and Falmouth at the General Election of July 4 and subsequently decided to resign as the councillor for the Penwerris ward in Falmouth.

The by-election on Thursday (September 19) will see the selection of three posts – Ms Kirkham’s seat on Falmouth Town Council is also now vacant as is that of Gerald Chin-Quee, who stood down as a town councillor due to ill health.

The candidates for the Cornwall Council seat are current Mayor of Falmouth Alan Rowe (Labour), who represents the Penwerris ward on the town council, John Spargo (Liberal Democrat), who is also a town councillor for Penwerris, and Jackie Walkden (Green Party).

The candidates for the two town council seats are Kevin Burrows (Independent), Daniel Konik (Labour), Jeffrey Muir (Lib Dem), Tom Pearce (Labour), Mark Peters (Independent) and Jackie Walkden (Green Party).

All registered residents in the Penwerris ward will have received notification and voting forms through the post from Cornwall Council, which will also include details of the polling station. If you have not received your polling card, please contact Cornwall Council.

Ms Kirkham won the Cornwall Council seat in 2021 with 63.7 per cent of the vote with a turnout of 36.8 per cent. Andrew George (Lib Dem) who was elected St Ives MP in July says he will stand down as a Cornwall councillor at the next council election in May 2025.