Cheryl Scott writes:

I was very concerned to learn of the departures of both the Town Clerk and Deputy Town Clerk recently and to view first hand some of the contentious decisions being made by the outgoing Council in the last few months. Residents are saying it is time for change and it is heartening to see that there are a lot of new candidates standing for election. 

Having grown up in Bath, I spent much of my working life in the South East of England. I obtained a research PhD in infectious diseases (hence the "Dr"), and entered the commercial world, running our own company and subsequently working at board level in Business Development. Subsequently I managed publicly-funded programmes, utilising my experience to assist start-up health-tech innovators to commercialise their products and raise finance (grants and equity). At this point I also became involved with my local village community, successfully advocating for property protection for flood victims within the village and latterly as Parish Councillor and Flood Warden.

I returned to the West Country in 2016 to be closer to my aging parents. I was Town Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer to Keynsham Town Council for five years, gaining my CiLCA qualification in the process and strategically building substantial reserves for the many projects the Council wished to undertake. I was also involved in the WECA, B&NES, Town Council and Historic England-funded developments in Keynsham Town Centre. I currently work for the NHS, assisting health tech innovators to develop and deploy their innovations within the NHS/social care and also develop collaborative bids with public and private sector stakeholders for health innovation and economic growth. 

In my spare time I volunteer for Piggy Bank UK, a nationwide network of guinea pig rescues, running a small sanctuary from home taking in guinea pigs such as Prince Caspian, who have long term medical issues that rescues can't rehome to the general public. 

Midsomer Norton has huge potential to develop into a town fit for the future. Above all however the town's development needs to be community-led and the Council itself, as the community's elected collective representative, also needs to be fit for the future. This will require collaborative working, strategic business development, fundraising and sound financial management, in order to continue to develop and maintain the assets it has now acquired. In addition it needs to engage properly and transparently with residents, listening to their voices on how they want their money to be spent and advocating with the relevant authorities to address their needs.

Therefore I am standing for election in Midsomer Norton North Ward. I have no party-political affiliation (never had) but am offering experienced and effective community representation to Midsomer Norton residents, it's new Council and it's staff, in order to contribute to a town fit for the future.