Truro City Council operates at the most local level of government and has a vital role in promoting the city, representing its interests and supporting the work of different groups in the community.
The work of the Council is funded from the precept, a levy set by the City Council and then collected by Cornwall Council as part of the overall council tax, together with income from grants and income-generating activities.
We deliver a wide range of services, including cemeteries, parks and gardens, allotments, the community library, visitor information, destination marketing, public toilets, CCTV provision, community development initiatives and planning.
The Council consists of twenty-four councillors, elected every four years, who represent different parts of the city. They are unpaid volunteers who work together to make decisions which meet the needs and interests of the city, and ensure that key services and projects are delivered to a high standard and achieve best value for money across all areas of the Council.
Councillors are supported by a team of paid staff headed by the Clerk who are responsible for making sure that Council decisions are carried out.
The Council is led by the Mayor who is elected at each Annual Meeting held in May. The Mayor must be a member of the Council, and must sign his / her declaration of office at this meeting.
The Mayor presides at meetings of the full Council. They are responsible for conducting the meeting and ensuring that decisions and actions are clear for the members to vote on and Clerk to act upon. The Mayor also represents the city on ceremonial occasions.
The Mayor has no individual powers other than the authority to exercise a casting vote and the right to convene a special meeting of the Council. The Council also has a Deputy Mayor who is responsible for deputising for the Mayor as required.
The current Mayor of Truro is Councillor Christopher Wells who was formally elected on 12 May 2025. Councillor Wells took over from Councillor Carol Swain who stood down as the Mayor after serving two terms in office. The Deputy Mayor is Councillor Loic Rich.
Councillors serve as the representatives for each ward within the city, and are elected to highlight issues and concerns residents have in their areas.
Cornwall Council is the unitary authority for the county of Cornwall, created by merging Cornwall County Council with the six Borough and District Councils of Cornwall. It provides a wide range of services including schools, social services, rubbish collection, roads, planning, parking, benefits, council tax and more.
The Council currently employs 65 members of staff who are responsible for providing services and implementing the decisions of the elected councillors.
The Head of the Paid Service is the Town Clerk whose role includes advising councillors, overseeing the drafting of policies, strategies and procedures, preparing agendas and reports for meetings, and managing the £3.5m budget.
As well as front facing staff, such as librarians, gardeners, staff who work in the newly refurbished Boscawen café and in the Visitor Information Centre and Visit Truro offices, and a community development team, the Council also has a team who provide financial and HR support, together with staff who manage the civic side of the authority, including the Mayor’s office.
The full Council meets monthly to take major decisions and oversee the activities of the Council. It also considers recommendation from its standing committees.
The Council has four standing Committees:
- Finance and General Purposes Committee – this Committee considers the financial position of the Council and manages the corporate administration, Visitor Information Centre, Truro Library, community development and management of Lemon Quay.
- Parks and Amenities Committee – this Committee considers matters related to parks, gardens and open spaces; public cemeteries; allotments; sports activities and public toilets
- Planning Committee – this Committee provides consultation responses to the planning authority, Cornwall Council, on planning applications which are either in the city, or have a significant impact on the city.
- Staffing Committee – Oversees
The Council also has a number of sub committees, which have fewer members than that of the overall committee, together with working groups which are set up to focus on a particular subject. These may include non-councillors who have an interest or understanding of the matter. They are not decisions making bodies and must report back to the committee in which they originated.
The Council also has links with the two Twinning Associations (Truro-Boppard and Truro-Morlaix) and with the Truro Civic Society, and works jointly with a number of organisations and other public service providers on matters of mutual interest. These include Cornwall Council, neighbouring parish councils, Truro and Newham BIDs, Truro SAFE, Truro Chamber of Commerce, Royal Cornwall Museum, Hall for Cornwall, Truro Civic Society, NHS providers, local schools and colleges and the Youth Council.
Councillors are also appointed to represent the Council on local outside organisations.
Agendas for all meetings are published on the City Council website at least three days before the meeting is due to take place and are also posted on public noticeboards.
Members of the press and public are welcome to attend Committee and full Council meetings and have the opportunity to put questions, or comment, on agenda items at the beginning of the proceedings.
The minutes for Committee and Council meetings are published once they have been approved and can be viewed on our website at: https://truro.gov.uk/
Each of the four wards in the city have a councillor elected to Cornwall Council. These are: –
- Gloweth, Malabar & Shortlanesend
Cllr. K La Borde - Boscawen and Redannick
Cllr. R Nolan - Tregolls
Cllr. L. Rich - Moresk and Trehaverne
Cllr. S Webb