Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info It's a new dawn for Cornwall Council and one the unitary authority has never previously experienced. Today the ruling Conservative administration was decimated, losing 32 seats, while Nigel Farage's claim back in February, when he held a divisive conference in Cornwall, that Reform UK would storm the council at the May 1 election has pretty much come true. The party, which only had one sitting Reform councillor until today, will now have 28 councillors at Lys Kernow / County Hall in Truro. It was also a good day for the Liberal Democrats who gained 13 seats and now have 26 councillors. The Independent group lost six seats, ending up with 16 councillors, while the Tories took a drubbing, ending up with just seven seats. Labour now has four seats, with the Greens and Mebyon Kernow both on three. While Mr Farage will no doubt claim a resounding victory in Cornwall, Reform didn't get enough votes to gain overall control. So what happens now? Over the next few days and weeks, there will be all manner of political shenanigans to come up with a coalition administration. Will any of the other groups want to align with Reform? Leigh Frost, the leader of the Liberal Democrats group, told me it's a definite no as far as his party is concerned. There's more likely to be a Lib Dem / Independent pact, but they would still need a political partner to come up with the magic 44 for a majority. Mebyon Kernow perhaps? Or the Greens? Or both? And where does Labour fit into all of this? (Image: Lee Trewhela/CornwallLive) To sign up to the weekly Cornwall Politics newsletter click here. Following the result, Rowland O'Connor, who won the St Columb Major seat, told me: "We are absolutely delighted. The mechanics of who does what in the council is to be determined. The next phase for us is we need to figure out our structure going into the council and we need to appoint a leader, which will happen within the next 48 hours. "Fundamentally, we want to serve the people of Cornwall and as a priority we want to address this huge debt that's been racked up over the last term of £1.3 billion. There's not a lot you can do when you're paying £147,000 a day in interest with moving forward public services and we need to address that." What about some people's concerns that a lot of your policies were about national issues rather than matters which affect people locally? "We have a contract with the people of Cornwall to address specific local issues. Some of those issues would be around the concerns that local farmers have with the use of primary farmland for renewables. Unlike other parties, we have committed to the people of Cornwall with a contract we will deliver. We will be held to account." Do the large number of refugees living in Cornwall, including a number of Ukrainians, need to fear now Reform has won so many seats? "I don't understand why anybody would be fearing Reform. We want to reintroduce fairness and accountability back into the council at a local level. There's nothing for anyone to fear." (Image: PA) Leigh Frost, the leader of the Liberal Democrats group, said of his party's showing: "I think people are fed up with the two major parties, so people are turning to us and elsewhere." Would he be prepared to work with Reform? "We are diametrically opposed to each other. Reform stand for one thing and we very clearly stand for another. We stand for community politics and hope. I don't think that's likely." There have been some noticeable scalps taken today. Liberal Democrat Rosie Moore, sister of North Cornwall MP Ben Maguire stole Wadebridge East from former Tory cabinet member Carol Mould. The Newquay Porth and Tretherras seat is kept by Reform's Kevin Towill, a former Tory. He beat former Conservative cabinet member for housing Olly Monk, who changed divisions - a brave but ultimately foolhardy decision. Mayor of Newquay Drew Creek took the seat Mr Monk gave up, Newquay Trenance, for the Greens. Former Tory cabinet member for families and children Barbara Ellenbroek was beaten by Reform's Sally Harrison in Redruth South. Perranporth's Independent councillor and former Tory Steve Arthur was beaten by Reform's Louise Blackman, while Labour stalwart Stephen Barnes lost his Redruth North seat to Reform's Roger Tarrant. Liberal Democrat Luke Rogers won outgoing Tory council leader Linda Taylor's St Ives East and Carbis Bay seat with Mayor of St Ives and Independent candidate Johnnie Wells losing out. Replacing former Tory deputy council leader David Harris, who stood down, is the Green Party's Karen La Borde. Robin Moorcroft retains his Independent seat in Wadebridge West beating Brand New Heavies singer and Reform candidate Nicole Russo, while Love Island contestant and Reform candidate Ollie Williams was beaten to the Lostwithiel seat by Lib Dem Sarah Preece. Independent and former Tory Paul Wills had his St Columb Major seat taken off him by Reform's Rowland O'Connor, who many are tipping to be the Reform leader on the council. Steve Webb, Truro's former mayor, won the Truro Moresk seat for the Lib Dems, meaning there will now be two wheelchair users at County Hall as Mayor of Camborne James Ball took the Camborne Roskear seat as an Independent. (Image: Lee Trewhela/CornwallLive) Jamie Hanlon, of Reform, beat former Tory councillor Anne Double, who changed her division for this election to Penwithick and Boscoppa. Mebyon Kernow's Matt Luke lost the seat. Jack Yelland, of Reform, took St Austell Central, the seat vacated by Mrs Double. It wasn't a great day for the Doubles as Anne's husband Steve - the former Conservative MP for Newquay and St Austell - failed in his bid to win St Mewan & Grampound. The seat was won by Reform's Julie Cunningham, with Mr Double leaving the Bodmin Leisure Centre count long before the declaration was announced. John Fitter, Independent, loses his St Columb Minor seat to Christine Parsonage, of Reform. Her husband, Rob, won the Torpoint seat for the same party. Fowey's retiring Tory portfolio holder for health and social care Andy Virr is replaced by Reform's Ian Wilson, while a former Cornwall Council councillor Joanna Kenny returns to County Hall. The Lib Dem member takes the Newquay Central seat vacated by Tory Louis Gardner. Tory rebel and latterday Independent John Conway lost his Launceston South seat to Lib Dem candidate Damon Dennis. It was certainly a day of high drama and that's just the start of it. We're in for an interesting four years.