“The trees are gathering, inviting the humans”
The Somerset Conference of the Trees — 150 people gathered at Orchard Park Farm in Hornblotton, organised by Somerset Council — was exactly the kind of event that reminds you why this work matters. There’s something quietly profound about a conference that starts from the premise that “the trees are gathering, inviting the humans”. Not…
Read MoreA week in a life of a local councillor!
Week of 2–6 June | Mendip South Update Just to give you a snapshot into my week! I’ve been working on behalf of residents throughout. I held a surgery in Pilton today — being available, listening to people’s concerns. On casework: road defect reports submitted, an ongoing street lighting fault in a village followed up,…
Read MoreReporting Back: Local Councillor Report for Mendip South
My roles at Somerset Council: Attendance record: 100% Ageing traffic signals to be replaced across Somerset Somerset Council is replacing 30-year-old traffic signals at Stapleton Cross in Martock, the A37 Lydford Cross Keys, and the B3153 at Lovington. Work begins on 22 June, with phased closures and overnight works running through to November 2026. New…
Read MoreOur Somerset Communities Are Our Greatest Asset
I am truly proud to have been appointed by the Somerset Council Leader to the role of Associate Lead Member for Community Resilience in the Council Executive — a recognition of the community work I have dedicated myself to, and a responsibility I do not take lightly. My role is to support the Council Leader…
Read MorePaths That Connect Us
I was invited to contribute to a film celebrating the Strawberry Line — a path that’s become something of a lifeline for our local community and our sense of wellbeing. This is a short extract from my contribution. The full film is due out this summer.
Read MoreListening to Croscombe: What a Village’s Road Works Reveal About Highways Resident Communication
I have asked for a review of the A371 road works (Croscombe to Shepton Mallet) at the Highways Improvements Board at Somerset Council. The Board was established by the Leader of the Council to give local councillors a direct route to raise concerns and to ensure residents feel heard. While there are many road projects…
Read MoreGrassroots, Evidence, and the Road Not Taken: Rethinking the Glastonbury TrainLink Debate
The Glastonbury Trainlink team were actively working to stimulate demand for bus usage, which is exactly the kind of approach we need, i.e. community grassroots driven. They also carried out valuable groundwork in community engagement, with Parishes, surveys etc. It’s not accurate to assume that a train link via Pilton village would fail. Rather, it…
Read MoreThe House on the Hill that shouldn’t be there!
The story of Leonard House, Winters Hill, West Compton — and what it tells us about our planning system. On a hillside above the ancient Somerset village of West Compton, near Shepton Mallet, sits a modern single-storey house with large glass windows that light up the valley at night. Locals have described the glow as…
Read MoreMendip South Division — Safety Defect Completions
Report road defects directly online — it’s the fastest way to get them fixed: https://www.somerset.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/report-a-problem-on-the-road/ If you are reporting a problem outside our normal working hours – Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm – and you believe it is urgent and a risk to public safety, please phone 0300 123 2224. You can also check on a…
Read MoreA Five-Year-Old’s Voice That Moved a Council
I’ve always taken the approach that communities should have a voice — and that those who can’t speak up for themselves still need to be heard. A child of just five was upset to discover that their favourite park furniture — two animal rockers — had gone. The family regularly visited their local park in…
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