Posts by Cllr Claire Sully
My Monthly Report for Mendip South
Planning Application Extensions — Parish Councils Have the Right to Request More Time Following concerns raised with me by Parish Clerks in my division, I contacted planning to clarify the position on extension requests. Parish Clerks had been told that extensions to consultation periods were not possible when requested to align with the timing of…
Read MoreUnder the trees
The Somerset Conference of Trees is being held on June 12th in Hornblotton — the village I grew up in, where my Dad lived until he died in 2016, and which sits within my Councillor division of Mendip South. This division is the landscape of my formative years. After the local elections in 2027, Mendip…
Read MoreA people’s path, in pieces, while determined as a train on the track to be a Somerset Circle.
Have you ever wondered why the Strawberry Line appears in parts of Mid-Somerset in fragments — stops and starts, interrupted with gaps of busy roads? The answer is a history lesson, and a story of remarkable persistence spanning many decades. Recently I attended a packed meeting of the Pilton Village History Group, where Richard Jones…
Read MoreFly Tipping Incident Update — Pilton
Date of Incident: 1 April 2026 | Report Date: 15 April 2026Cllr Claire Sully, Mendip South division Where We Are Now I have met with the Envirocrime team, who are actively working on this and many other cases every week. I want to reassure residents that this is a team with real expertise and a…
Read MoreUpdate: Pilton Fly-Tipping Investigation
I wanted to share an update on the recent fly-tipping incident in Pilton that many of you will be aware of and are keen to see resolved. Somerset Council’s Environmental Crime Team investigates and enforces against offences like fly-tipping, dog fouling, littering, graffiti, and abandoned vehicles. The team is actively investigating and we are pleased…
Read MoreEnergy & Cost of Living Crisis – help that is available from Somerset Council and Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice Somerset, in partnership with Somerset Council, is here to support residents facing financial hardship. If you’re struggling, help is available — don’t wait to reach out. A range of support is available to help Somerset residents struggling due to the cost-of-living crisis and rising energy costs. Somerset Council is again distributing funds from…
Read MoreMajor fly-tipping incident cleared within 48 hours thanks to swift council action & local residents reporting.
Wednesday 2 April 2025 · Pilton, Somerset A large illegal dump of roofing tiles along a bridle way in Pilton was reported, investigated, and cleared in under two days — with an MP on the scene to personally thank the workers. On Tuesday 1 April, at around 8.40am, a significant amount of rubbish was discovered…
Read MoreTaking Control: Why Pilton Parish Council Commissioned Its Own Housing Needs Survey
When a developer presented plans to Pilton Parish Council for 79 affordable homes on the Old Police House field, councillors and parishioners alike raised their eyebrows. There was clearly some housing need in the village — but did it really justify a development of that scale, on that site? The Parish Council thought the number…
Read MoreA Turning Point for Mental Health: Why This Weekend’s Lib Dem Policy Matters
This weekend, members passed a landmark mental health policy at the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference in York. For me, it marks the culmination of a year’s work as part of the working group that helped make this moment happen — and I could not be prouder. Mental health touches every one of us. It reaches…
Read MoreA Game-Changer for Rural Somerset: Why Glastonbury TrainLink Must Be in the New Transport Plan
Somerset is at a crossroads. A new Local Transport Delivery Plan (LTDP) is being finalised that will shape how people travel across our county for the next four years. For too long, rural communities have been left behind by a bus system designed around profit rather than people. That must change — and the Glastonbury…
Read More