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About Derek

Cllr Derek Thomas

Prospective Parliamentary Candidate

I am local, living in St Buryan (previously Newlyn).  I grew up in the Helston area and therefore am known and know a lot of people across the constituency. My work and voluntary activities have included such things as leading active children's and youth projects in Porthleven, Helston and Penzance.  In the late 1990's I pioneered a programme for families on Treneere Estate

I served as Chairman of Choughs Training Project for adults with severe learning disabilities and I secured their existing premises within the Wharfside Shopping Centre.  I continue to work closely with the developers, Charville Estates and negotiated the use of another community space for Light & Life who now run the Go Penzance Motorbility Scheme.

I work in Helston as a Development Manager for Mustard Seed, a  busy charitable trust providing a range of community services enabling vulnerable people to increase their independence.  Recent new developments include a Community cafe in Porthleven within the St Elvan’s Children’s Centre and a local fresh vegetables stall at St Keverne Producers Market.

The work my team and I have pioneered has featured regularly in the press in south Kerrier and has won government recognition for the work we do with young people.

I received recognition by Friends of the Earth for setting up a delivery service providing residents with boxed local fruit and vegetables.

I am a member of South Kerrier Alliance (a working group improving community well-being).

As a Penwith District Councillor for Penzance Central Ward I have worked hard to retain the role and responsibility local councillors currently have for local public services in terms of how they are prioritised and how they are delivered.

I am chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Penwith District Council.

I am a member of West Cornwall Healthwatch and have kept active and informed regarding the great challenges facing the delivery of health and social care in the west of our county.

In Penzance I lead a team of residents and business leaders in the bid to become a Fairtrade town.

I work closely with local schools most recently leading assemblies at Bolitho School.

I am committed to enabling people to have lives full of opportunity and purpose, I relate well to people of all ages and enjoy listening to people and bringing about solutions to their difficulties.

I will continue with passion, conviction and enthusiasm the fight to ensure our public services are delivered locally, are cost effective and serve all people in this constituency.

Furthering the Conservative cause is increasingly important to me as the core values of Conservatism sit most comfortably with my personal faith.  Many new ideas and new values have been adopted by this nation in recent decades and where traditional values have been discarded our communities have  declined.  The Conservative Party's direction of travel and our core values provide a basis for leading the nation towards stronger, healthier, more caring communities.

I believe that Liberal Democrat County Councillors and Members of Parliament in Cornwall are causing untold damage to our county and our key public services are at risk of failing.  District Councils are to be abandoned, fire stations downgraded, police personnel reduced, adult social care removed, council tax increased and other services compromised.

I believe that the County Council’s shift in how Adult Social Care is provided is causing considerable hardship for many vulnerable people.  Elderly people and people with severe learning disabilities face greater social exclusion and thier needs are likely to go unnoticed.  The way in which we care for our elderly reflects on the kind of society we are.  If these cuts in funding are continued than Cornwall will be a poorer county in term of social well-being.  There is an expectation that the Voluntary Sector will ‘fill the gap’ but this sector is already stretched and under-resourced.

I believe that in key areas Andrew George fails to represent the people of the St Ives Constituency.  He wants Cornwall to be governed centrally and the UK governed by Europe.   My approach in St Ives is to defend first the interests of this Constituency, secondly, those of Cornwall and thirdly, the interests of the UK.

People in our Constituency deserve leaders that offer constructive solutions to local, national and global challenges.

I believe that all people must be enabled to reach their full potential, tax payers' money must be spent wisely, people should be allowed greater ownership of their community, corporate responsibility must be taken regarding the environment and fairer trading locally and globally must be achieved.

I believe this nation needs fresh leaders who are able to demonstrate how we can improve the quality of life for all people simply by maintaining healthy and stable communities that are prosperous at home and generous towards the world's poorest communities.