Katie Helen Donnelli-Hunn

This summer, Claremont lost a dedicated public servant, Councillor Ivan Taylor, who served local people for over 50 years.

As Claremont looks to the future, I believe residents deserve a councillor who will continue to put local people first.

I was born and raised in Blackpool, and this town has shaped so much of who I am. We have so much to be proud of and I believe there is something special about Claremont.

Claremont itself has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I came here for workshops at Blackpool Central Library as a child, attended my first Blackpool Youth Council event here, recorded music at Rock Hard Studios, and have spent more family nights than I can count at Funny Girls. They might seem like small things, but they’re the memories that make somewhere feel like home and they’re part of why standing to represent Claremont feels so personal to me.

One of my core values is I feel passionately about people being heard, treated fairly, and supported when they need it. It’s what led me to study Law, to volunteer in legal advice centres helping people who couldn’t afford legal support, and ultimately to the work I do today.

I now work as a caseworker, helping people who are often dealing with some of the most difficult moments in their lives. That can mean working with councils, housing providers and public services, navigating systems that can feel impossible to navigate alone, or simply making sure somebody’s voice isn’t ignored.

And that work has taught me what good representation really looks like.

It’s about listening properly, taking people seriously, showing up and sticking with an issue until you’ve done everything you can to get something changed.

That’s the kind of councillor I want to be for Claremont.