Well North Cornwall, what a result! After months of campaigning, conversations on the doorsteps, and tireless efforts from our team and volunteers, I’m incredibly proud to say that we Liberal Democrats now have 11 Cornwall councillors here in North Cornwall, and 26 across the Duchy as a whole. This is a huge step forward for our communities, and it means we’ll now have an even stronger, united team of Cornwall councillors ready to get to work and deliver real change where it's needed most.

From Padstow to Bude, Bodmin to Camelford, and Wadebridge to Launceston, our councillors are deeply rooted in their communities and share the same determination to fix the mess left behind by years of Conservative control down at County Hall. Millions of pounds have been wasted on failed projects, from the botched Newquay Airport sale, to costly vanity schemes, all while important areas of public services have been cut down and pushed to breaking point. Now, with a hardworking Lib Dem team in place, I know we’ll be able to push for real transparency, proper priorities, and deliver for local people right across Cornwall.

Sadly, the success of the local elections was marred by a disturbing incident in Launceston, where political graffiti was sprayed across shops, homes and even our North Cornwall Liberal Democrats office. This sort of vandalism has no place in our democracy. We’ve now spoken to the police about this matter, and hope those responsible are brought to justice.

Meanwhile, a major issue I raised in Parliament this week was access to Legal Aid in rural areas like ours. With Citizens Advice branches having closed across Cornwall, too many people are left without meaningful support when facing rogue landlords, unfair property management firms, or legal disputes they simply can’t afford to fight. Without legal aid, there’s no route to justice, and it’s not acceptable. I’ve urged the Solicitor General to ensure legal support is accessible to everyone here in Cornwall, no matter their postcode or income.

I’ve also continued pushing for action on banking access in towns like Wadebridge, which has now lost all of its physical bank branches. I’m calling for a full Banking Hub to be set up in the town, just like we now have in Bodmin.

Lastly, I was delighted to secure a meeting with the Minister from the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, to further take forward our plans to extend the Camel Trail up to Camelford. It’s used by over half a million people a year, and I've been working for a short while now to have the trail extended to the town. Having pledged nine new 'River Walks' in their election manifesto last year, the Government seems keen to take my proposals seriously. I’m looking forward to working with our newly-elected Cornwall Councillors Mark Burnett, Rosie Moore, and David Garrigan on this campaign as it progresses.

As ever, the work continues - and with our new team of Lib Dem Cornwall Councillors, we’re now better positioned than ever to deliver for North Cornwall.