There are certain times in politics where the facts speak for themselves. After years of the Conservatives running Cornwall Council, it’s now in debt to the tune of £1.3-billion – and I pray that local people vote for wholesale change and a fresh start via a clear out of the ’old guard’ on May 1.

It beggars belief that around 20 Cornwall Council employees have received total remuneration of at least £100,000 – while presiding over this mess. But the worst part is that we’ve had a generation of Tory councillors who hide behind these highly-paid officers, when they should be taking responsibility. A root and branch review of governance at the council is needed.

Within the last few months alone, Cornwall Council botched a venture capital deal on Newquay Airport after failing its own due diligence tests. Previously, the council spent £12-million on the failed horizontal launch at Spaceport.

Cornwall Council also earmarked £1.75-million for the redevelopment of the General Wolfe pub in St Austell for unwanted emergency accommodation but the building has simply been left to rot as a hotspot for antisocial behaviour.

More widely, we saw the national Conservative government promise delivery of the Women’s and Children’s Unit at Treliske, without having funding in place – a situation our Labour government has now rectified to ensure delivery of the critical facility.

There’s one common factor in all of these sorry sagas – a lack of transparency and politicians hiding behind council officers or the civil service. It is time to draw a line under this mess - step up, and run the council in a serious, business-like manner – which should begin with a full audit of the council’s finances.

Hard-working local people who pay their council tax, as well as other residents, deserve better levels of not only service delivery, but also respect – with leaders communicating critical information in a transparent way where people can scrutinise the use of their money. That is the only way in which we can rebuild trust and move forward in a progressive way befitting of Cornwall – and realise the huge opportunity and potential.

We now have a Labour government after 14 years of the Conservatives, and after what people have been through, their expectations are now, quite rightly, high.

So, in contrast to the current regime, we will level with people. We are not always going to be able to make decisions that are popular – but with four years to turn things around, all I ask is that people judge me and Labour on our results, rather than the inflammatory, over-simplistic populist rhetoric which so often takes over political discourse and give people false impressions that there are instant, easy answers to difficult problems and that money grows on trees.

I understand why people feel jaded – but I would reiterate that voting in local elections is the only way to turn this situation around and pave the way for more effective, more honest public services in future.