Cathy Bakewell has been a Liberal Democrat member of Somerset County Council since 1993. She was the Leader of the Council until May 2007, a position she held since June 2001. Cathy has held several positions on the Council, including the Portfolio for Lifelong Learning. Cathy was previously a member of the South West Regional Assembly, and is a Non-Executive Board Member of the South West Regional Development Agency, having been appointed in 2004. She also represents the Regional Development Agency on the Somerset Learning & Skills Council. She is a Director of the Somerset Rural Youth Project. Cathy was awarded the MBE in 1999 for Services to the Community. Before being elected to Somerset County Council, Cathy worked for Paddy Ashdown, MP, in both his Constituency and Westminster offices. Cathy has recently been appointed to work for the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) as the Lead Regional Peer for the Liberal Democrats, working in the South West and the South East.