Fewer than 15% of Cornwall's registered voters voted Conservative and the new cabinet does not reflect the views of the people of Cornwall, say Cornwall Greens.

Karen La Borde, joint co-ordinator for Cornwall Green Party, said:

"Fewer than one in six of Cornwall's electorate voted Conservative, and a clear majority of voters gave their support to parties or independent candidates who do not support Conservative policies.

"Yet the new Council cabinet is made up entirely of people who will push through such policies against the wishes of the majority. In what way can this be described as democratic?

"The first-past-the-post electoral system almost always produces perverse results that do not properly reflect the views of the electorate as a whole. This is not the fault of individual councillors but of the system itself, which urgently needs to change.

"But given that Conservative councillors know that they do not enjoy majority support in Cornwall, the decent thing to do would be to take the views of other parties on board in the structure of decision-making. By announcing an all-Conservative cabinet, they have

done precisely the opposite.

"This is part of a wider democratic failure. We need a total democratic overhaul of Cornwall Council, including a return to the committee system to ensure proper scrutiny.

"We also need to see the end of arms-length businesses that deliver public services but are not accountable to elected public representatives.

"Cornwall Green Party is also extremely concerned to see that climate change has been removed from the portfolio for Neighbourhoods. Conservative councillors were elected on the manifesto pledge: "We will protect our environment."

"Removing climate change – the biggest threat to the natural environment – from a key portfolio speaks volumes about their intent.

"It is no longer clear which portfolio-holder is now responsible for action on climate change and adaptation. Is it Martin Alvey, the Environment portfolio-holder?

"Perhaps he or Council leader Linda Taylor could explain why climate change is no longer seen as an issue of relevance to Cornwall's neighbourhoods."

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