Posts by Cllr Claire Sully
The Coalition of Tactical Voting Was Always Going to End in a Bin
Trust in politicians is about as low as it has ever been measured. The Electoral Commission’s 2025 survey found just 14% of people say they trust politicians — itself only a slight recovery from 10% the year before. The British Social Attitudes survey put trust in government to act in the national interest at a…
Read MoreCllr Claire Sully – Monthly Councillor Resident Update
A Council Rebuilt, the story of Somerset Council, 2023–2026 When Somerset Council came into being in April 2023, it inherited far more than a map and a name. Local government reorganisation, set in motion under the previous Conservative administration back in 2018, had left the new authority facing serious structural and financial pressures from day…
Read MoreThe government wants to weaken flood plain protections. Tessa Munt is fighting back — and I’m with her.
Tessa Munt MP, as Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Flooding and Flooded Communities, went directly to Parliament to request dedicated debating time on the National Planning Policy Framework changes. She made the case to the relevant committee that the proposed changes are dangerous — warning that they would allow developers to bypass…
Read MoreHousing targets, local land and what it could mean for your community
As an elected councillor at Somerset Council, I need to share an important update on housing and the Local Plan — local voices are needed now, and this is your chance to shape what happens next. The Government has set demanding housing targets — and Somerset currently has a 2.1 Year Housing Land Supply against…
Read More“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…
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