Truro and Falmouth
Notional 2005 Results:
Liberal Democrat: 17613 (45.5%)
Conservative: 12482 (32.3%)
Labour: 5954 (15.4%)
Other: 2640 (6.8%)
Majority: 5131 (13.3%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 16686 (32.4%)
Labour: 6991 (13.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 24089 (46.7%)
UKIP: 2736 (5.3%)
Other: 1062 (2.1%)
Majority: 7403 (14.4%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 16231 (32.3%)
Labour: 6889 (13.7%)
Liberal Democrat: 24296 (48.3%)
UKIP: 1664 (3.3%)
Other: 1215 (2.4%)
Majority: 8065 (16%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 15001 (26.4%)
Labour: 8697 (15.3%)
Liberal Democrat: 27502 (48.5%)
Referendum: 3682 (6.5%)
Other: 1865 (3.3%)
Majority: 12501 (22%)
Boundary changes
Current MP: Matthew Taylor (Lib Dem) (more information at They work for you)
Candidates:
Sarah Newton (Conservative) Educated at Clare Terrace, Falmouth School and King’s College, London. Formerly worked for Citibank, American Express and as Director of Age Concern. Director of the International Longevity Centre. Former Merton councillor.
Terrye Teverson (Liberal Democrat) born 1952. Educated at Helston Grammar School. Runs a printing company. Kerrier disrict councillor 1987-1999. Contested Falmouth and Camborne 1992, 1997. Contested South West region in 1999 European elections. Married to Lord Teverson, a Liberal Democrat whip in the Lords.
Conan Jenkin (Mebyon Kernow) born Cornwall. College lecturer. Contested Truro and St Austell 2001, 2005. Deputy leader of Mebyon Kernow.
Charlotte MacKenzie (Labour) Educated at Cambridge University, with a doctorate from University College London. Researcher and consultant. Former associate director of HEFCE and QAA, and previously a senior lecturer. Chairs the Board of Directors and Trustees of the community-based regeneration charity Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change. Truro councillor since May 2007. Contested Truro and St Austell 2005. 
Glen Corcoran (UKIP) Educated at Summercourt and Newquay Tretherras School. Qualified independent financial advisor. Former TA officer, now owns a property business.
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 84317
Male: 47.7%
Female: 52.3%
Under 18: 20.2%
Over 60: 27.1%
Born outside UK: 4.2%
White: 98.7%
Black: 0.2%
Asian: 0.3%
Mixed: 0.5%
Other: 0.3%
Christian: 73.7%
Full time students: 4.3%
Graduates 16-74: 20.2%
No Qualifications 16-74: 25%
Owner-Occupied: 71.6%
Social Housing: 12.4% (Council: 9.9%, Housing Ass.: 2.5%)
Privately Rented: 12%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 18.2%
Terry, your posts are as ever continuous and substantial, but I think we get the message - you hate the Conservatives!
It did not take long before the Lib Dems broke their policy on the new NOC UA of not taking portfolios. I note that Councillor Doris “day” Ansari, LD Grandee has according to Cornwall Council website 22/06/2009, taken the Chair of Council. This follows her appointment as leader of the Kernow Lib Dem Group. Being flattered by power and engrandisement is overwhelming, no matter how fleeting or interim is the appointment.
I would bet the tories could not find a suitable Chairman amongst their own group if the truth was ever known. A number of Councillors had been touted for the position in the last two weeks.
It is dirty business about revelations that Cornish Holiday Home Owners had been touted by the Conservatives for their vote in Cornwall - http://www.thisiscornwall.co uk 22/06/2009 Homepage. The Conservatives have not denied this practice, despite Labour and the LD doing so. I would love to know how many of these holiday home owners broke the law and voted twice -main home and second home, either by postal vote and a visit to the polling station. Perhaps somebody with an interest might like to do some research starting with postal vote addresses! However not a good day to spread bad news when the report today on second homes reveals that the heart of Cornish villages is being torn out by second homes.
One Grandee of the ruling conservatives on Kernow Council has muttered tthat Indexed Linked Pensions are for the Chop if the tories get their way. This will take a millstone off the neck of the Cornish Council Taxpayer. So steps are in the offing which go further than ditching the subsidised meals and bottled water- the voters will be relieved- though the nobility on CC will not.
I think that the reality of managing 2000 redundancies in a hung council with maverick Indies will exercise and concentrate councillors minds before anything else.
Solid hold in a Truro City by-election (Tregolls) this week. Not a great significance except there seemed to be no conservative candidate. Solidifying the country vote first then hoping for a swing from the indies in Falmouth. Truro seems to be solid Yellow Peril.
The local media have reported that the 32 strong Cornish Independents have created an Alliance on the NOC UA with the 50 strong Conservative group. This is in fact wrong. Only a handful of head strong and ego-tistical Indies have joined forces. The conservatives are pulling their hair out in an attempt to guarantee majority voting powers and quell the ardour of the maverick Indies.
Indies are revealing however their political pursuasions to left or right. There is still talk amongst some of them about putting themselves up as Indies at the next GE. As for some of them joining a conservative alliance the electorate are not happy with this cosying and bed sharing. They are saying if we wanted to vote for the conservatives or lib dems we would have, and not voted Indy.
In the meantime the conservatives have cleverly graced and allotted 4 Independents on the Cabinet with boomerang portfolios. Mark Kaczmarek -Housing; the South West dictat on Housing growth is due shortly with an inevitable county wide row and the nimbies will be out in thousands.
Graeme Hicks-Highways, Transport and Planning; the highly critical report on the Cornwall Airport is due anytime.
Neil Burden - Health; The row on the transfer of health services and cancer care to Plymouth is still unsettled.
Julian German-Waste and environment ; Waste incineration has still to be resolved with millions to be claimed in Litigation and the nimbies up in arms.
Finally, Pat Harvey Indy Chair of the Council will take the full flack of government grant cuts, redundancies and the lack of savings from the UA.
Rows and Public discontent are inevitable.
The Liberal Democrats under the ever wise Doris Ansari are in Opposition, and are already making it uncomfortable and prickly for the thread bare Indy-Con Administration. They are starting a wise game of concentrating on charitable and campaigning events.
I want to know what is all this costing in Cabinet remunerations, massive countywise travelling costs, subsidised dinners, teas and ice-cold water.
Cogload, you are absolutely right. The conservatives are very badly split and fragmented in Falmouth and Penryn, with a much larger proportion of the electorate voting for Independents. Truro is solid Liberal Democrat. In fact this constituency seat had a majority in the Independent vote on June 4th.
Terry, interesting drama.
I think that Trade Descriptions legislation should be enacted. Not one of the three female candidates look like their photographs above for ID or electoral purposes. In reality, not one of them would see 50 again.