A MOTION calling for a vote of no confidence in Cornwall Council’s Conservative leader Linda Taylor has been submitted to the local authority by a Conservative ‘rebel’ today (Monday, September 30).

Signatures are now being collected among councillors of all political parties to support the vote.

The move was made by John Conway, councillor for Launceston South, who until July represented the Conservative Party. He resigned after calling his boss, Cllr Taylor, a “dictator”. He said Cllr Taylor removed him from taking part in an economic growth and development overview and scrutiny committee meeting because he disagreed with former MP Steve Double’s wife becoming its chairman.

Cllr Conway is now leader of the council’s non-aligned group, which also includes other councillors who have resigned from the ruling Tory group.

Commenting on the vote of no confidence submission, which has been seconded, he said the council’s controversial decision to find a private company to run Newquay airport and develop its 650 acres of land, owned by Cornwall Council, was the “main reason” for the move against Linda Taylor. An initial lack of consultation over the deal was criticised by opposition councillors as well as Cornwall Chamber of Commerce.

“There’s a total lack of democracy,” said Cllr Conway. “Things are being done without recourse to councillors. Linda says ‘you do it all my way’ and that’s it.”

In order for the vote to take place it needs the support of 29 other councillors, which Cllr Conway believes it will get. We have contacted Cllr Taylor by phone and email to get her reaction to the news, but as yet have not received a reply.