Local Tories gathered at Gulval Village Hall, near Penzance on Saturday to celebrate their local election victories on June 4th.  The event, which was packed with newly elected councillors and Party workers, was hosted by Derek Thomas, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for the St. Ives Constituency.
 
In a brief speech Derek said: “Any election campaign demands the dedicated effort of many, many people.  This dedication and the fact that the people of West Cornwall recognised that a change of administration was required to improve Cornwall’s public services led to a very satisfactory result in the Cornwall elections”.
 
On June 4th the electors of West Cornwall elected nine Conservative Councillors, six Independents and three Liberal Democrats.  Conservative candidates also came very close in the Breage, Penzance Central and St.Keverne & Meneage Divisions.  Across Cornwall, the Conservatives became the largest group on Cornwall Council with fifty Councillors, compared to thirty eight Independents and thirty two Liberal Democrats.
 
Alec Robertson, the new Councillor for Helston North and recently elected Leader of Cornwall Council was warmly welcomed by those present, he said: "I am delighted that the Conservatives have been given this opportunity to serve the people of Cornwall.  The legacy of the previous Lib Dem adminstration is a Council damaged by a painful, expensive and unneccessary reorganisation, which has been left in a perilous financial condition.  Despite that, we Conservatives are determined, in cooperation with our Independent and Mebyon Kernow colleagus to protect and improve our vital, front-line services.
 
Our results also provide terrific momentum to change our Member of Parliament.  During the campaign people across the St. Ives Constituency told us that they had not voted Conservative for many years, but would be voting to send Derek to Westminster at the General Election.”
 
Gary Streeter MP for South West Devon joined the celebration bringing greetings from Conservative Central Office and to congratulate the team on a good European election Result.  In the South West Region Conservatives returned three MEPs out of the six elected.

Derek added: “Cornwall Councillors have a huge task ahead if they are to make the Unitary Authority work.  The desire to improve front-line services at a time when the public purse is contracting presents real challenges and I wish Councillors the very best as they seek to serve residents in Cornwall.”

Picture shows: L to R - Cllr Joan Symons, Derek Thomas, Cllr Alec Robertson, Gary Streeter MP and Cllr Bill Maddern.