email: cjackson@lancaster.gov.uk
Caroline was a teacher in Lancaster for 17 years, finishing as head teacher of Hornby High School until it closed. She founded the Claver Hill community food project, on 6 acres of land on the edge of Lancaster.
Caroline was first elected to represent Bulk ward in a by-election in May 2013, and has stayed in post ever since. In 2021 she became the first Green leader of a council in the North West of England as the Leader of Lancaster City Council.
After the 2023 elections, there was a Labour Leader, and Caroline became the Deputy Leader, and sat on Cabinet with the Housing portfolio, which includes private sector and social housing, caravan and traveller sites, refugee and asylum seeker housing, as well as household support and resilience.
In November 2024, following the resignation of the Labour leader and the Labour party deciding to leave cabinet for opposition, Caroline was elected once again to be Council Leader. She is also the Leader of the Green group of Councillors, and as such sits on the Executive Committee of the local party.
Caroline says:
“I have lived in Lancashire for thirty years, and worked as a teacher. I believe in the power of Lancashire communities where people look after each other and stand up for what they believe in. Over the past ten years I have been in the centre of local issues, working hard as a charity volunteer, an environmental campaigner and an elected city councillor. My vision is for a future that’s fair and just, protecting our livelihoods and our environment from economic uncertainty and climate change.“