About

I have been a Devon County Councillor since 2013.

I was re-elected to Devon County Council in 2017  (when the ward boundaries changed from Ottery Rural to Otter Valley Ward), with 75% of the vote (the biggest majority on Devon County Council for the second term running).

I stood as an Independent Parliamentary Candidate for East Devon in 2015 and again in 2017, when I won more than 21,000 votes and significantly narrowed the gap between myself and the incumbent Conservative MP, Sir Hugo Swire.

I was previously a councillor on East Devon District Council for four years, standing down in 2015, and with Ottery St Mary Town Council (2009-2013).

My professional background is in public relations, mainly for the NHS and other public sector organisations.

Other posts include:

Deputy Chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) Community Wellbeing Board, which represents  the position of local government to central government, with a focus on health and social care.

Member of the LGA’s Independent Executive, which considers and decides on policy and opportunities for Independent councillors across the country.

In February 2018, I was nominated one of Exeter’s most influential women by Grow Exeter magazine.

I am a Woodland Trust Tree Champion for Devon.

I have lived in East Devon most of my life and have one teenage daughter.

I enjoy Latin dancing, spending time with family and friends and being out in our lovely countryside.