A coalition of Independents, Liberal Democrats and minor parties will lead Cornwall for the next four years, it can be revealed.
But the Conservatives have spurned their place at the table according to reports from a well-placed source at County Hall.
The coalition will go for a 4-4-2 formation to tackle the undoubted problems that lie ahead with a cabinet made up of four Independents, four Liberal Democrats and two representatives from minor parties, thought to be Labour and Mebyon Kernow.
John Pollard, the Independent councillor from Hayle, has been nominated as the man who the coalition will back as leader of Cornwall Council at the authority's first full meeting on Tuesday.
The Independents have 36 seats, following the defection from the Conservative party of Mike Eathorne-Gibbons, which put them on a par with the Liberal Democrats.
Jeremy Rowe, leader of the Liberal Democrats, wrote to all councillors on Wednesday appealing for a coalition of all parties to work together for the good of the county.
But the Conservative group has rejected any advances made to them and unanswered phone calls have prompted the other parties to take control without them.
As the County Hall source said: "The two main parties have been willing to work with all parties.
"There were a number of deadlines made for the Conservatives to get on board but calls went unanswered.
"In the end we had to sort it out for the good of Cornwall."
Cornwall Council will meet on Tuesday to vote in the new leader who will need to be backed by at least 62 of the 123 members.
