Plans for a Mayor for Cornwall have been ditched after the negative public reaction to the proposals.

In the results of a public consultation over the Level 3 'devolution' plans, the response from the public who responded overwhelmingly rejected the plans for a Mayor, with many citing trust as an issue.

In a statement issued this morning, Linda Taylor, Cornwall Council leader said that because of the response, the authority will be pursuing a 'Level 2' devolution deal, which 'seeks to retain as many of the Level 3 deal (which would have required a Mayor) as possible, including the £10m adult education budget' but reportedly would not include the £360m funding for investment, believed to be over 30 years.

Announcing that the Mayoral plans had been scrapped, Linda Taylor, leader of Cornwall Council said: "As a Cabinet, we have always believed that devolution of powers and investment from government is vital for the future prosperity of Cornwall. This is why we are so proud to have been asked last year to negotiate a further devolution deal with the government.

"During the ten-week consultation, we have heard from thousands of residents, businesses, and stakeholders from across Cornwall and have listened carefully to their views. It is clear that support has especially come from our young people, businesses, and strategic partners who have all seen the benefit for the future of Cornwall.

"However, whilst there is considerable support for the proposed Cornwall Devolution Deal, there is also significant concern about the requirement to move to a directly elected mayor.

"In order to deliver on our commitment to the people of Cornwall that we will always listen and, where needed, take difficult decisions, it is with the greatest regret that I am unable to recommend to my Cabinet accept a deal that includes the requirement for a directly elected mayor during the remainder of this administration.

"I will instead be recommending that the Council pursue a Level 2 deal that seeks to retain as many of the elements of the Level 3 deal as possible, including those that were overwhelmingly supported through the consultation, such as a £10m per year devolved adult education budget so that training and skills provision meets the needs of the local economy. This cannot be the end for devolution in Cornwall, indeed as a Cabinet, we remain committed to our goal of having more decisions about Cornwall being made locally.

"While a Level 2 deal does not include the £360m investment fund, or the £8.7m promised for brownfield housing development, there are a number of areas where we can work with government to secure the best possible outcome for Cornwall and our residents, while recognising that devolution is a continuous process and not the result of a single negotiated event."