CALLINGTON Town Council has written to the local government minister to call for the district councils to continue running until the new Cornwall unitary council elections take place, which could now be delayed until October 2009.
At their full council meeting members unanimously backed the proposal from the two Mebyon Kernow district and town councillors to write to John Healey to complain about the possible delay to the elections to the new unitary council.
Cllr Andrew Long said: 'The current county councillors' mandate expires at the end of April and if there is going to be a delay in the formation of the new council, only the district, and town and parish councils have a mandate from the people.
'The district councillors already work on many important areas that will need to continue during this difficult time. Planning and licensing, for example, are already controlled by the districts and the councillors are trained for the roles.'
He was supported by Cllr Chris Thomas who questioned the legitimacy of a group of councillors who were not mandated to serve after May 1.
Cllr Thomas said: 'The easiest solution would be to keep the councillors working in the six districts and reporting directly to the Joint Implementation Executive.
'We would urge as many councils to back us on this and let the minister be in no doubt of the depth of concern felt by ordinary people on this democratic nightmare.'
Currently, one proposal coming out of the JIE and county council is for county representatives to continue for up to six months until new elections are held, local members said.