It’s a rumour that has circulated in Cornwall for decades. Many believe social housing is being built in the holiday hotspot for 'problem families' from Manchester and Liverpool, or being bought from developers to 'ship people out'. The claim centres around the notion that northern councils ‘dump’ people in Cornwall because they are not wanted in their areas - and this is causing all sorts of crime in Cornish towns and villages.
But local figures have fought for years to put it to bed - including former Penzance councillor Cornelius Olivier, who describes it as a 'bizarre' and 'very odd' conspiracy theory. “People got it into their heads that council housing was being built by northern councils,” the chair for the St Ives Labour Party said.
