Elections for Cornwall and Town Councillors will be taking place on the 6 May 2021. For more information about voting or becoming a local councillor see the links below:
St Ives Town Council today has 16 Councillors who, between them, serve 4 wards in the Parish area of St Ives, which includes Halsetown, Lelant, St Ives East & Carbis Bay and St Ives West.
Following the Electoral Review in 2019, the ward boundaries of the Parish have changed so that the following seats will be contested in the 2021 elections:
- Halsetown (5 seats)
- Lelant (6 seats)
- St Ives East & Carbis Bay (2 seats)
- St Ives West (3 seats)
Notice of Nominations:
St Ives Town Councillors All Wards
Cornwall Councillor St Ives West & Towednack
Cornwall Councillor St Ives East Lelant & Carbis Bay
Police & Crime Commissioner
St Ives Wards maps:
St Ives 4 ward boundaries 2021
Cornwall’s Ward Boundaries
For more information about voting or becoming a local councillor see the links below:
Cornwall Council Election Information 6 May
Applying-to-become-a-Councillor-CALC
Becoming a Councillor
Becoming a Councillor Frequently Asked Questions
We asked former Town Councillor Tim Andrewes why he became a St Ives Town Councillor:
When did you join St Ives Town Council?
2007
What inspired you to run for election?
I have always believed passionately in the power of democratically elected government to make life better for communities. Town councils have huge potential to do good things. Back in 2007 it felt like the council was not living up to that potential, and I really felt that needed to change.
What experience did you have that you felt was relevant?
My work at the time was in community development and rural transport issues, which had given me considerable experience in assessing local needs, business planning and project implementation. I had also been active in various environmental projects and recently been involved in the campaign to save Ayr Field as a green open space.
What were some of your most enjoyable moments as a councillor?
The best moments have been when things get achieved, however big or small, and often after quite long periods of hard work: the opening of the new allotment site at Trowan, the first Free for All, the re-opening of St Ives library as a six-days-a-week service, the announcement of the Neighbourhood Plan referendum result, the installation of the bottle refill station at West Pier, to name just a few.
What were some of the challenges?
The main challenge was to overcome resistance to change, whether than came from institutions or members of the public.
Could you highlight 1 or 2 projects you were involved in that really mattered to you?
I was involved in the lengthy process of transferring the Guildhall from Cornwall Council to the Town Council, and then helping to get more events and activities to take place in the building. Through that work, I met many amazing and lovely people who have helped to bring new life to the venue, as well as many others who enjoyed the events they attended.
How long were you a Councillor?
13 years.
We also asked Councillor Ron Tulley why he ran for local elections in 2007
I joined the town council in 2007, so I’m now in my 14th year on the council and have seen a few changes in that time!
I have always taken an interest in politics and local affairs, so putting myself forward as a potential town councillor seemed an obvious thing to do. My time on the council has coincided with a period when Cornwall Council has been keen to devolve responsibility for various local services to town councils. The Town Council is much closer to the local community than Cornwall Council and this provides it with a greater awareness of the needs of the local community and the best way of meeting those needs.
In recent years we have taken over responsibility for the Visitor Information Centre, the Library, toilets, the Guildhall and the Island Centre. It has been rewarding to find ways in which some of these services can be delivered in a more efficient manner: when we took over the Visitor Information Centre we started with a blank canvas and re-designed the room and the range of services on offer. Similarly, when we later integrated the Visitor Information Centre with the Library we had the opportunity to provide a new-look Library Service and ensure that it was saved for future generations of users.
Aside from devolution projects, I have seen a whole range of smaller projects delivered in recent years. One which comes to mind is the Free for All – a simple idea in which people can bring down any unwanted goods to the Guildhall and others who can make use of them come and collect them. This not only saves the items going to landfill, but provides useful items to those in need of them. This started as a one-off event, but has now become a regular twice-yearly event with the Guildhall packed full of donated items each time and people queueing well before the opening time in anticipation of what they might find.
A particular interest of mine is traffic management, and with traffic concerns being ever-present in St Ives, being on the council has given me an opportunity to suggest some improvements to signage which would assist the flow of traffic. We will probably never solve all the traffic problems in St Ives, but it is always helpful to put forward any ideas that will help.
My main cause of frustration during my time as a councillor, and this is probably felt by many other councillors, is the length of time it takes to negotiate with Cornwall Council, whether it is implementing simple improvements or taking over responsibility for assets. We have learnt to live with this though and from experience we now know that we usually get there in the end – it just takes longer than we had initially hoped!
I have very much enjoyed my 14 years on the Council: it has provided an opportunity to meet many interesting people – both fellow councillors and the general public . Mainly though, it has provided an opportunity for me to work with fellow councillors to provide much-needed services for the benefit of our local community.
And Councillor Rita Lait told us why she ran for election 8 year’s ago:
What inspired you to run for election?
Although not born and bred here, St Ives has been an integral part of my life and I care about what happens to the town in the future – I wanted to be in a position of being able to do something for the community
What experience did you have that you felt was relevant?
A lifetime of knowing and loving St Ives – and having carried out research into the history of the area
What were some of your most enjoyable moments as a councillor?
Taking part in the traditional customs of the town Finding out that the community had voted in favour of the St Ives Neighbourhood Plan – having had to wait until the early hours of the morning for the result to be announced !
What were some of the challenges?
Initially just getting used to being a councillor and gradually gaining confidence. Being interviewed by the media and trying to think of the best way of replying to their questioning (not wanting to say the wrong thing).
Could you highlight 1 or 2 projects you were involved in that really mattered to you?
The St Ives Neighbourhood Development Plan
