THE make-up of St Austell Town Council has been confirmed following the local elections.

Voting for new town councillors took place in only one of the three wards in the town.

Electors had the chance to cast their ballots in the Central and Gover ward but in the other two wards, Bethel and Holmbush, and Poltair and Mount Charles, there was no voting because the number of candidates standing equalled the number of seats available.

The seven candidates elected in the Central and Gover ward were Mark Gray (Liberal Democrat), Colin Hamilton (Conservative), Maggi Hawken (Labour), Oli Kimber (Conservative), Sean Marshall (no affiliation given), Richard Whitehouse (Independent) and Julian Young (Liberal Democrat).

They will serve on the town council which is made up of 20 councillors in total from the three wards.

The seven candidates who put their names forward for election in the Bethel and Holmbush ward have taken their seats on the council without a vote being cast.

They are Malcolm Brown (Liberal Democrat), Richard Clemo (Independent), Anita Cohen (Labour), Crystal Pearce (Independent), Jeremy Preece (Labour), Jordan Rowse (Conservative) and Ethan Stephens (Independent).

The six candidates in the Poltair and Mount Charles ward similarly gained seats on the council without a contest.

The councillors for this ward are Jackie Bull (Liberal Democrat), Andrea Lanxon (Labour and Co-operative), Jennifer Lingham (Liberal Democrat), Tina Taylor (Labour), Mike Thompson (Independent) and Richard Williams-Pears (Conservative).

Early in the year an information campaign was run by the town council to try to encourage people to stand for election.

Councillors are volunteers but costs for travel and subsistence outside of the council boundary can be reimbursed.

The Cornwall councillor elected in the Central and Gover ward was Jack Yelland (Reform UK), while Jordan Rowse (Conservative) retained his Bethel and Holmbush seat and Paul Ashton (Reform UK) won in Poltair and Mount Charles.