Dick Cole
Encyclopedia
Richard "Dick" Cole is an elected member of Cornwall Council and the leader of the Cornish devolutionist political party, Mebyon Kernow
, a role he has held since 1997. He lives in Fraddon
, a village in Mid-Cornwall.
and University of Wales, Lampeter
whilst at University in Wales.
In 1999, he was elected as a member of the borough council
of Restormel
, representing St Enoder
, retaining his seat until the council was abolished as part of the 2009 structural changes
.
In the 2005 general election
, he stood for parliament in North Cornwall
and gained 1351 votes, coming fifth.
In 2009, a new unitary authority
called Cornwall Council was formed. In order to stand at the 2009 elections
to it, Cole had to resign his post as an archaeologist
working for the County archaeological unit based in Truro, which had become a department of the new unitary council, as employees of a local authority are not allowed to be elected members of it as well as employees.
On 4 June 2009, Cole contested both elections held in Cornwall on that day. In the European Parliament election
, he headed the Mebyon Kernow party list for the South West England constituency
. In the Cornwall Council election held on the same day, he fought the St Enoder county division, achieving a 78 per cent of the vote, comfortably beating the Conservative and Lib Dem
candidates into second and third places respectively.
In 2010 Cole was Mebyon Kernow's prospective parliamentary candidate
for the newly formed St Austell and Newquay constituency in the United Kingdom general election, 2010, he gained 2,007 votes (4.2% of votes cast,) placing him in fourth position.
He lives in Fraddon, in Mid-Cornwall, where he is a member of St Enoder parish council, a governor of Summercourt Primary School, and a trustee
of the Fraddon Millennium Green and the Indian Queens Pit.
In Cornwall Council, Cole leads the Mebyon Kernow political group, chairs the Planning Policy Advisory Panel, and represents the council in the Local Government Association
's County Councils Network Special Interest Group.
Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow is a left-of-centre political party in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly, as well as social democracy and environmental protection.MK was formed as a pressure group in 1951, and contained as members activists...
, a role he has held since 1997. He lives in Fraddon
Fraddon
Fraddon is a village in central Cornwall, United Kingdom, in the parish of St Enoder. It is roughly midway between Newquay and St Austell and is south of the linked villages of St Columb Road and Indian Queens....
, a village in Mid-Cornwall.
Early life
Cole grew up in Cornwall on the edge of the Goss Moor and was educated at the Treviglas School, NewquayNewquay
Newquay is a town, civil parish, seaside resort and fishing port in Cornwall, England. It is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall approximately west of Bodmin and north of Truro....
and University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter is a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822 by royal charter, it is the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and may be the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge...
Political career
Before becoming party leader in 1997, Cole had been Mebyon Kernow's press officer for the previous five years. Previous to that he had also campaigned for Plaid CymruPlaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
whilst at University in Wales.
In 1999, he was elected as a member of the borough council
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
of Restormel
Restormel
Restormel was a borough of Cornwall, United Kingdom, one of the six administrative divisions that made up the county. Its council was based in St Austell . Other towns included Newquay....
, representing St Enoder
St Enoder
St. Enoder is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated five miles southeast of Newquay.The nearest village is Summercourt half-a-mile to the south and other settlements include Fraddon, Penhale, Indian Queens and Trevarren.The parish church is 15th century...
, retaining his seat until the council was abolished as part of the 2009 structural changes
2009 structural changes to local government in England
Structural changes to local government in England were effected on 1 April 2009, whereby a number of new unitary authorities were created in parts of the country which previously operated a 'two-tier' system of counties and districts...
.
In the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, he stood for parliament in North Cornwall
North Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)
North Cornwall is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
and gained 1351 votes, coming fifth.
In 2009, a new unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
called Cornwall Council was formed. In order to stand at the 2009 elections
Cornwall Council election, 2009
Elections to Cornwall Council, the Unitary Authority for Cornwall took place on 4 June 2009, the same day as other United Kingdom local elections, 2009....
to it, Cole had to resign his post as an archaeologist
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
working for the County archaeological unit based in Truro, which had become a department of the new unitary council, as employees of a local authority are not allowed to be elected members of it as well as employees.
On 4 June 2009, Cole contested both elections held in Cornwall on that day. In the European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2009
Elections to the European Parliament were held in the 27 member states of the European Union between 4 and 7 June 2009. A total of 736 Members of the European Parliament were elected to represent some 500 million Europeans, making these the biggest trans-national elections in history...
, he headed the Mebyon Kernow party list for the South West England constituency
South West England (European Parliament constituency)
South West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation, reduced from 7 in 2004.-Boundaries:...
. In the Cornwall Council election held on the same day, he fought the St Enoder county division, achieving a 78 per cent of the vote, comfortably beating the Conservative and Lib Dem
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
candidates into second and third places respectively.
In 2010 Cole was Mebyon Kernow's prospective parliamentary candidate
Prospective parliamentary candidate
Prospective parliamentary candidate is a term used in British politics to refer to candidates selected by political parties to fight individual constituencies in advance of a general election. This terminology was motivated by the strict limits on the amount of expenses incurred by an actual...
for the newly formed St Austell and Newquay constituency in the United Kingdom general election, 2010, he gained 2,007 votes (4.2% of votes cast,) placing him in fourth position.
He lives in Fraddon, in Mid-Cornwall, where he is a member of St Enoder parish council, a governor of Summercourt Primary School, and a trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of the Fraddon Millennium Green and the Indian Queens Pit.
In Cornwall Council, Cole leads the Mebyon Kernow political group, chairs the Planning Policy Advisory Panel, and represents the council in the Local Government Association
Local Government Association
The Local Government Association is a voluntary lobbying organisation acting as the voice of the local government sector in England and Wales, which seeks to be an authoritative and effective advocate on its behalf....
's County Councils Network Special Interest Group.
Publications
- Mebyon Kernow and Cornish nationalism (with Bernard DeaconBernard DeaconBernard W. Deacon is a multidisciplinary academic, based at the Institute of Cornish Studies of the University of Exeter at the Tremough Campus. He has an Open University doctorate and displays his thesis on the ICS website.-Academic career:...
and Garry TregidgaGarry TregidgaGarry Harcourt Tregidga is an academic at the Institute of Cornish Studies in the United Kingdom.-Academic career:Garry Tregidga undertook both his MPhil and PhD degrees with the University of Exeter. He was appointed as the Assistant Director of the Institute of Cornish Studies in October 1997...
) (Cardiff: Welsh Academic Press, 2003, ISBN 1860570755 )