Career
She was the leader of Somerset County Council from 2001 to 2007. She has served as councillor for Coker on South Somerset Council since 2009 and was created a life peer as Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville, of Hardington Mandeville in the County of Somerset on 9 September 2013, taking her title for the local village of Hardington Mandeville where she lives. She served as a director for the Leadership Centre for Local Government.
