NO election will be held to select Bodmin Town Council members after not enough people put themselves forward to be candidates.

It means that all those that stood to be candidates will become Bodmin town councillors after May 1, with the remaining three vacancies to be filled by co-option, where the council selects a candidate from those who put themselves forward.

Three councillors will cease their service, having opted to not stand for election in the form of Cllr Craig Rowe, Cllr John Gibbs and former mayor Cllr Phil Cooper, while Cllr Rajesh Joshi and Cllr Jeff Paul were no longer eligible to stand due to no longer meeting the local residency or connection criteria.

Cllr James Whatton has already stepped down from the council, which currently has a vacancy as a result.

The confirmation of the 13 successful candidates means that three new councillors are set to join the council, with Jay Pearn, Tony Gosling and Michelle Lobb among the list of those who put themselves forward.

The current mayor of Bodmin, Cllr Liz Ahearn, is among those set to return, a list that also includes all those presently chairing the council’s committees. Cllr Hilda Blacklaw (Community Services), Cllr Pete Skea (Planning), Cllr Karen Phillips (Estates) and former mayor Cllr Jeremy Cooper (Policies and Resources).

Others also returning include the deputy mayor, Cllr James Burden, Cllr Mike Barbery, Cllr Alex Butters and the most recent member to join Bodmin Town Council in the form of Cllr Jody Renals.

The longest serving member, former mayor Cllr Andy Coppin will pass the milestone of 20 years as a town councillor as a result of his re-election if he serves the full term, having first joined Bodmin Town Council on May 24, 2007.