South Cambridgeshire constituency
The South Cambridgeshire constituency was formed in the mid-1990s following the Boundary Commission’s review of all constituencies throughout the country. The new seat included large parts of the former South West Cambridgeshire constituency.
It took effect from the general election in May 1997 when Andrew Lansley, CBE, became the first Member for the new seat. In 2004 the Boundary Commission met again for another review and although there has been no name change, the constituency has been subject to some minor changes.
The aim of the Association is to promote the Conservative Party at all levels – through the work of our staff and the hard work of our voluntary organisation, which comprise our officer team, executive committee, branches, our 800 members, County and District Councillors and volunteer helpers throughout the constituency.
79,000 electorate
The constituency stretches from Fen Drayton, Swavesey, Longstanton, Rampton and Cottenham in the north to Odsey, Litlington and the Chishills in the south (the southern county boundary).
Gamlingay is the furthest point in the west, while in the east, the constituency borders the Cambridge City boundary and includes the Queen Ediths' area of the City before moving south eastwards to include Great Abington.
25 of the South Cambridgeshire District Council wards and one Cambridge City Council ward (Queen Ediths') make up this constituency. It has an electorate of nearly 79,000. Until the 2010 general election, Trumpington was also part of the constituency.
Based in Hardwick
The South Cambridgeshire Conservative Association is the local branch of the Conservative Party in the constituency. The Association’s office is based in the village of Hardwick, which gives good access via the A428, A1198, A14 and M11 to all areas.
The Association employs Stephen Frost as agent and Denise Smith as his personal assistant – their job it is to manage election campaigns and local membership of the Party.
The Association acts in an autonomous manner, by raising its own monies to pay staff, pay for leaflets and run its own campaigns. These funds are raised through membership and member organised events such as coffee mornings, barbeques, dinners and cheese and wine functions.
Our team is currently:
- President – Dr Ian Calder.
- Chairman – Donald Douglas – 01223 245 357 / 07889 657 590, donald.douglas@cambridgerisk.co.uk.
- Deputy Chairman, Political – John Ionides – 07793 051 185, john.ionides@gmail.com.
- Deputy Chairman, Membership – Julie Simpole-Clarke – 07778 589 311, simpole-clarke@hotmail.co.uk.
- Treasurer – Julian Leigh.
- Chairman of the Fund Raising Committee – Dorothy Calder.
- Together with the Chairmen of the Political Forum, Women’s Committee and two elected members, they make up our Management Committee.
14 years and counting
Andrew, our MP since 1997, became the Shadow Secretary of State for Health in November 2003. It came as no surprise that after becoming Prime Minister in May 2010, David Cameron appointed Andrew as Secretary of State for Public Health – it has been Andrew's handling of this important post that has seen public support raise to the point where the Conservative Party is trusted more on health than our main opponents.
Andrew lives in Orwell, in the west of the constituency, with his wife Sally and their two children. Naturally, Hardwick is his constituency office – looked after by Samantha Stewart, his constituency secretary, who can be contacted on 01954 212 707. Her e-mail address is samantha.stewart@parliament.uk.
At a European level, South Cambridgeshire is part of the Eastern Euro Region. We have three Conservative European Members of Parliament – Robert Sturdy, Vicky Ford, David Campbell Bannerman and Geoffrey Van Orden. Robert, Vicky and David have their UK base in Hardwick.
