St Columb Minor new Reform UK councillor Heinz Glanville

Heinz Glanville secured 408 votes to finish ahead of Independent candidate and a former councillor for the area John Fitter, who polled 325, with the Liberal Democrat candidate Geoff Brown – another former Cornwall councillor – finishing third on 296.

The St Columb Minor and Colan by-election was called after the previous member for the division, Christine Parsonage, resigned for medical reasons in October.

Her short run as councillor for the area was mired in controversy, first for living in Torpoint, 45 miles away from the division she represented, and then for receiving criticism from Newquay Town Council members for not turning up for their meetings.

Alongside her husband Cllr Rob Parsonage – who had been Reform’s leader at Lys Kernow (County Hall) – and Cllr Rowland O’Connor, Cllr Anna Thomason-Kenyon and Cllr Karen Knight, she defected from the party in October to form the Cornish Independent Non-aligned Group before resigning as a councillor a few days later.

Victory in the by-election has further cemented Reform’s position as the second biggest party on Cornwall Council, now with 24 councillors.

The party sits in opposition to the Liberal Democrats’ 26 members. The Lib Dems formed the council’s ruling administration six months ago with the Independent group.

The new Reform UK councillor for St Columb and Colan, Heinz Glanville (Pic: Reform UK)

Cllr Glanville, who was born, raised and still lives in the St Columb Minor division, said before the by-election: “I’ve brought my own children up in this wonderful community and I want every family to have the same chance to thrive.”

He said his objectives include opposing a proposed park-and-rail site at Quintrell Downs and creating more housing for young people.

The result of the St Columb Minor and Colan by-election

• Heinz Glanville, Reform UK – 408
• John Fitter, Independent – 325
• Geoff Brown, Liberal Democrat – 296
• Frances Williamson, Green Party – 173
• Mark Formosa, Conservative – 73
• Stuart Hind, Labour – 9
• Nigel May, Independent – 3

There was a turnout of 27.65% (1,288 votes) from an electorate in the division of 4,658.

A fellow Reform UK councillor is now calling for the former Reform members who left the party earlier this year to allow by-elections in their divisions as a result of the St Columb Minor result.

Cllr Richard Barker, who represents St Newlyn East, Goonhavern and Cubert, has written to Cllr Rob Parsonage, calling for him and fellow members of his Cornish Independent Non-aligned Group to allow voters to have their say again in as they did not vote for them in their current political guise.

Cllr Barker says in his letter: “As leader of your group [Cllr O’Connor is actually the leader] I think it’s clear from the results today in St Columb Minor and Colan division that the electorate has maintained their confidence in Reform UK and elected an excellent local candidate in Cllr Heinz Glanville replacing Christine Parsonage.

“In my acceptance speech in May 2025 I said Reform UK needed to become the party of principal. I challenge YOU today and the Cornish Independent Group to renew your mandates, our voters want their votes back and their wards.

“While legally you are not required to do so, morally and politically you are! I challenge you to find winning majorities in your divisions.

“Voters deserve transparency, honesty and trust. I appeal to you to give voters the confidence and moral growth and leadership in politics they desperately deserve.”