CALLS have been made for Cornwall Council to launch a full investigation following concerns a former cabinet member still works on the Spaceport Cornwall site despite receiving a controversial payout to leave his previous job there.

Louis Gardner started working as the chief operating officer for Open Skies Network as long as nine months ago, which is an airspace, infrastructure, and enabling systems provider for advanced aviation, focusing on drone logistics, electric seaplanes, and autonomous aircraft operations.

It follows Mr Gardner resigning from his role as the head of future air and space at Spaceport Cornwall just a week after starting in early March 2025. It later emerged a “confidential settlement agreement” between Corserv/Cornwall Airport Ltd and Mr Gardner had been signed off following his departure.

Mr Gardner, who was the council’s portfolio holder for the economy during the previous Conservative administration, was forced to resign from the role after failing to declare an interest when approving a £200,000 grant from the council to Spaceport Cornwall despite accepting the role as the head of future air and space at the space tech facility at Cornwall Airport Newquay days before. Mr Gardner, who was given the role ahead of other more qualified candidates, was later found to have breached the local authority’s code of conduct on five points.

Louis Gardner, was the Cornwall councillor for Newquay Central & Pentire and new Cabinet member for economy (Image: Cornwall Council)
Louis Gardner, was the Cornwall councillor for Newquay Central & Pentire and new Cabinet member for economy (Image: Cornwall Council)

He stepped down as cabinet member for the economy on taking the top job and retired as a councillor on May 1, 2025, the day of the council election when the Conservative Party lost their majority. Cornwall Council later withdrew the £200,000 funding.

Cllr Andrew Mitchell, the Cornwall councillor for St Ives West and Towednack, is calling on Cornwall Council to investigate how Mr Gardner got the two jobs and why the “pay off” is a secret.

Cllr Andrew Mitchell said: “I have raised this point with Cornwall Council that the then Cllr Gardner arranged a job for himself at a Cornwall Council company. He then got sacked quite quickly.

“There has then been a pay off covered by a non disclosure agreement, which I think is unacceptable.

Cllr Andrew Mitchell is calling for an investigation
Cllr Andrew Mitchell is calling for an investigation (Cllr Andrew Mitchell is calling for an investigation)

“Then on top of that he then gets a job at another organisation at the Spaceport site that as far as I know has received funding from Cornwall Council. This cannot be right and must be investigated. This whole issue leaves a bad taste in my mouth and probably in other people’s as well.

“There must be a full and open investigation into how he got the first job and secondly how he got the second job.”

The Open Skies Network spun out from the regional Open Skies Cornwall initiative, which received £1,608,271 funding from Innovate UK through the government to help to develop cost-effective and efficient solutions for postal and parcel delivery to remote communities, add resilience to critical medical supply deliveries, and explore how the solutions could support humanitarian efforts. Cornwall Council is among the organisations backing the project.

Mr Gardner is working closely with Cornwall Airport Newquay through his role, which is owned by Cornwall Council.

Mr Gardner and Open Skies Cornwall have both been approached for comment.