Cathy Bakewell, Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville

Catherine Mary Bakewell, Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville, MBE (born 7 March 1949)^[2] is a British politician who is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords and formerly a district councillor for the Coker ward of South Somerset.

The Right Honourable The Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville MBE
Official portrait, 2021
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 October 2013 Life Peerage
Leader of Somerset County Council
In office 2001–2007
Somerset County Councillor for Coker Ward
In office 6 May 1993 – 2 May 2013
South Somerset District Councillor for Coker Ward
In office 4 June 2009 – 2 May 2019
Personal details
Born	Catherine Mary Green[1] (1949-03-07) 7 March 1949 (age 75) Bristol, England
Political party	Liberal Democrats
Occupation	Politician

Early life and career

Bakewell was born Catherine Mary Green in Bristol in 1949.^[3] Bakewell joined the Liberal Party in 1974. She became the Yeovil Constituency Secretary and then went on to become to be an assistant to Yeovil Member of parliament Paddy Ashdown. Bakewell worked with Ashdown for twenty years eventually running the Leader's Office after the 1997 elections.^[4]

Bakewell was first elected to Somerset County Council in 1993, serving as Leader from 2001 to 2007, standing down in 2013.^[5][6][7] Bakewell was a member of the 2007 Councillors Commission which investigated the incentives and barriers to serving on Local Authorities.^[8]

Bakewell has served as a Liberal Democrat District Councillor for the Coker electoral ward in South Somerset since 2009.^[9][10]

On 9 September 2013, Bakewell was created a life peer as Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville, of Hardington Mandeville in the County of Somerset,^[11] taking her title for the local village of Hardington Mandeville where she lives.^[12] She made her maiden speech in the House of Lords that November during a debate on housing, the speech addressed affordable housing and the impact of the under-occupancy charge.^[10] She served as a director for the Leadership Centre for Local Government.^[13]

References

1. "Messages and Memories". Remembering St. Louis, Glastonbury Convent. 31 October 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
2. "Councillor Catherine Mary Bakewell". duedil.com. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
3. "Cathy Bakewell". Liberal Democrats. 22 January 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
4. Ashdown, Paddy (2010). A Fortunate Life: The Autobiography of Paddy Ashdown. Aurum Press. ISBN 978-1845136475.
5. "So, who are these new Liberal Democrat peers, then?". Liberal Democrat Voice. 1 August 2013. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
6. "South Somerset District Council Councillor Cathy Bakewell to become Baroness". South Somerset District Council. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
7. "Coker councillor Cathy Bakewell "thrilled" to be named as Baroness". Western Gazette. 2 August 2013. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
8. "Councillors Commission begins work (LGiU)" (PDF). Local Government Information Unit. 10 April 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
9. "Councillor details - Councillor Cathy Bakewell". South Somerset District Council. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
10. "Baroness Bakewell makes maiden speech in Lords". thisisthewestcountry.co.uk. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
11. "No. 60624". The London Gazette. 11 September 2013. p. 17949.
12. "Cllr Cathy Bakewell". South Somerset Council. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
13. "Who we are". Leadership Centre. Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2013.