Faye Purbrick has been confirmed as the Conservative Party candidate for the newly-formed Glastonbury and Somerton constituency.

Under boundary changes, Street and Glastonbury will move into the new Glastonbury and Somerton constituency created out of most of the existing Somerton and Frome seats, including the towns of Castle Cary, Langport, Somerton and Wincanton (but not Bruton).

It will also include the town of Glastonbury, the neighbouring village of Street, and the Ham Hill tourist attraction

Aged 46 and based in Yeovil, Purbrick is the owner of a business that supports companies in construction and engineering.

She has pledged to work towards preserving the rural way of life in these areas by tackling issues like crime and advocating for local businesses. "I have been campaigning to improve lives across Glastonbury and Somerton for the last six years and I am committed to giving all of these communities the representation they deserve, and need, both at the local level and in Westminster," said Ms Purbrick.

Among her priorities are liaising with local leaders to develop a comprehensive strategy to curb rural crime. She also recognises the unique challenges facing rural communities, such as education, housing, and infrastructure, and aims to address these in collaboration with local farmers and stakeholders.

In terms of funding, Purbrick maintains regular contact with Flooding Minister Rebecca Pow to discuss both funding opportunities and flood risks that could impact local communities. She is an advocate for increased levelling-up funding from the government, supporting new business cases and ensuring the effective implementation of already-funded projects like the Glastonbury Town Deal and the Wincanton regeneration.

"It was the honour of my life to stand recently in the Somerton and Frome by-election, but my work is far from finished," Purbrick stated. "I grew up in Somerset and am steadfast in my drive to make Glastonbury and Somerton the best place to live, work and raise a family in the country."

She also emphasised the importance of attracting private sector investments for the creation of quality jobs, skills development and better services.

Ms Purbrick concluded, "I am privileged to have been selected to stand in the new seat of Glastonbury and Somerton and will hold the LibDems to account for their lack of action in supporting local people and solving local issues. I will make use of the many relationships I have built...to ensure our area is given the attention it deserves. I will be a visible and engaged candidate, listening to the views of our communities."