THE Conservatives have selected a candidate to contest the vacant Launceston Central seat on Cornwall Council.

She is Val Bugden-Cawsey, 60, who lives in Cuthbert’s Close, St Stephen’s.

Mrs Bugden-Cawsey was born in Kent, but is married to a Cornishman, Terry, who is now retired, but formerly owned Cawsey Commercials Ltd. She trained in catering before gaining a position as cook-housekeeper to Princess Anne when the Princess was married to Captain Mark Phillips and living at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst.

Mrs Bugden-Cawsey moved to Cornwall in 1999, living first at Dutson and then at Little Comfort, where she was a parish councillor and churchwarden for Lezant, and was closely involved with the WI. She founded and ran a monthly women’s lunch club in Launceston.

Mrs Bugden-Cawsey is also contesting a seat on Launceston Town Council — there are three vacant town council seats in the Central ward, for which there are sufficient candidates for an election to be held on?January 14. If there is more than one candidate for the by-election for the Cornwall Council seat, the poll will take place on the same date.

The vacancy on Cornwall Council was caused by the resignation of Alex Folkes, who also resigned his town council seat. The other two town council vacancies were caused by the death of Graham Facks-Martin and the resignation of Ashley Crapp.

The town council at its meeting last week agreed to issue polling cards for the town council election at a cost of £500.