THE four candidates contesting a Cornwall Council by-election in Launceston have been busy canvassing in what will be the first party political electoral test in the town since last year’s General Election.

The Launceston Central Division seat fell vacant last October with the resignation of Alex Folkes, who had won it as a Liberal Democrat in 2013.

The Liberal Democrats hold the neighbouring Launceston South and Launceston North and North Petherwin divisions.

But at the by-election, three other parties are making a bid for the Central seat — the Conservatives, the Greens and the Christian People’s Alliance.

Hoping to return the seat to the Liberal Democrat fold is Gemma Massey, a member of Launceston Chamber of Commerce who lives on Race Hill with her husband and young daughter.

She says it is important to maintain a healthy town centre and that her priorities are to promote new jobs in the town and fight for the future of the medical centre, the library and the leisure centre.

She added: “I am also concerned for the future of policing in our town after the public enquiry desk of Launceston Police Station was closed. This closure, combined with ongoing problems with the non-emergency 101 number, is making it hard for Launceston residents to report crime.

“Good schools and pedestrian safety are also important to me as a young mother.”

Battling to win the seat for the Conservatives is Val Bugden-Cawsey, who lives at St Stephen’s and worked as cook-housekeeper to Princess Anne when the Princess was married to Captain Mark Phillips.

Mrs Bugden-Cawsey is calling for improvements to the infrastructure to go hand in hand with planned new homes.

“The medical centre, our hospital, schools, roads, public transport, public amenities — all should go hand in hand with development. But, as we have seen, they often don’t. I shall work hard to see that they do.

“I shall work closely on the Town Study, which is recommending various changes to both the town centre and the A388 from the town hall to Dutson.

“Hard work and common sense must prevail here as increasing the footfall in the town, restoring vibrancy, and keeping the traffic moving will be my priorities.”

The Greens are fielding Roger Creagh-Osborne, who moved to the town three years ago and already sits on Launceston Town Council.

He said all the candidates see the same problems in the town — traffic, housing, poverty, access to health and schools, air quality, the future of public services, the resilience of communities — “and we all want to do something about these issues. That is why we stand for election.

“For me, what really matters, is that I have clear principles to guide my actions as your public representative, and that these principles are accessible.

“As a Green I am not required to blindly follow a party dogma so long as I try and live and act within green principles.”

The candidate for the Christian People’s Alliance is John Allman, who lives in Western Road in the town.

He says: “Christian values aren’t just in the interests of Christians. They are in everybody’s interests.

“I believe in the golden rule, ‘love your neighbour as yourself’, which teaches us the equality of all humans, including the equality of the human foetus with his mother.

“Christians today are not demanding any special religious privileges. We claim only the same basic freedoms as everybody else. These are freedoms that need protecting, for all.”

Mr Allman stood as the ‘Let Every Child Have Both Parents’ candidate for North Cornwall at the General Election last year.

— The 123-seat Cornwall Council is currently made up as follows:

Liberal Democrats, 37; Independents, 36; Conservatives, 32; Labour 8; Mebyon Kernow, 4; UKIP, 3; Green, 1; Non-aligned, 1; Vacant, 1.