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Somerset County
Conservatives

Diogo Rodrigues

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Leader of the Conservative Opposition Group
Councillor for Bridgwater East & Bawdrip
  • County Councillors

Diogo Rodrigues spent his early childhood in London before his family moved to Essex. In 2015, he relocated to Somerset, where he has established strong roots and become an integral part of the community.

Diogo has been an elected councillor since 2015, serving on all three tiers of local government. He currently holds the position of Leader of the Conservative Opposition on Somerset Council. 

Diogo was raised by parents who worked tirelessly to build a better future. His parents benefited from Margaret Thatcher’s right-to-buy scheme, purchasing their council flat in London before building their own business. As a teenager, Diogo balanced school with working in the family business, experiences that instilled in him a strong work ethic.

Following in his parents’ footsteps, Diogo ventured into the business world, successfully opening businesses - managing teams, navigating challenges, and overcoming the upheaval of the Covid pandemic. He later successfully led a thriving Chamber of Commerce, where he represented over 170 businesses and built strong ties within Somerset’s business community.

In politics, Diogo served as Mayor of Bridgwater in 2018/19 and played a key role in the 2022 Somerset elections, supporting a county-wide Conservative ground campaign. 

Whether in business, politics, or community leadership, Diogo is driven by a commitment to hard work, resilience, and making a positive difference for the people he represents.

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Andy Dingwall

Councillor for Bridgwater East & Bawdrip
Andy is a first-time councillor, elected in May 2022 for Bridgwater East & Bawdrip. In addition to his role on the County Council, Andy is a senior manager in a local Research and Insights Agency. Andy has well over a decade of experience in Market Research, Insight and Data.

News

Diogo Rodrigues

Liberal Democrats Refuse to Publish Breakdown of Apparent Multi-Million Pound Coal Orchard Losses

Thursday, 6 August, 2026
The Leader of the Conservative Opposition Group at Somerset Council has criticised the Liberal Democrat administration after it refused to publish a detailed breakdown of the apparent multi-million pound losses on the Coal Orchard regeneration scheme in Taunton, despite acknowledging the information
Diogo Rodrigues

Sixth Finance Chief in Four Years as Somerset Council Faces Mounting Financial Pressure

Tuesday, 21 July, 2026
Somerset Conservatives have welcomed the appointment of a new permanent Chief Finance Officer but warned that the role comes at a critical time for Somerset Council, following years of financial instability under the Liberal Democrat administration.Lizzie Watkin was appointed as Somerset Council's n
Diogo Rodrigues

Diogo Rodrigues: It Should Never Have Taken a Crisis to Act on SEND

Thursday, 9 July, 2026
Leader of the Conservative Opposition on Somerset Council, Cllr Diogo Rodrigues, has said it is "unforgivable" that Somerset's SEND service was allowed to deteriorate to the point where a £5.3 million emergency investment is now needed to help the council meet its statutory duties.Speaking at a rece
Diogo Rodrigues

Borrowing Linked to £8 Million Property Loss Comes Under Scrutiny

Monday, 6 July, 2026
Somerset Council has lost almost £8 million on the sale of a single commercial property, raising fresh questions about the long-term cost of the authority's commercial property strategy.The Steelite site in Stoke-on-Trent was purchased by the former Liberal Democrat-run Somerset West and Taunton Dis
Diogo Rodrigues

Planning Performance Slips Despite Emergency Measures

Monday, 22 June, 2026
Conservatives have questioned why a number of key planning performance measures have deteriorated at Liberal Democrat-run Somerset Council over the last year, warning that Somerset cannot afford to see planning services moving in the wrong direction.The concerns were raised following the publication
Diogo Rodrigues

Somerset Children's Services Downgraded Under Liberal Democrats Despite £80 Million Spending Increase

Wednesday, 17 June, 2026
Somerset Conservatives have criticised the Liberal Democrat administration after Ofsted downgraded Somerset's Children's Services from Good to requiring improvement in three of four categories.The latest Ofsted inspection found that services for some of Somerset's most vulnerable children have deter
Diogo Rodrigues

Somerset Council Receives Damning One-Star Finance Verdict

Sunday, 31 May, 2026
Somerset Conservatives have said a damning independent review by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) exposes a fundamental failure of leadership by the Liberal Democrat administration after Somerset Council was awarded just one star out of five for its financial managem
Diogo Rodrigues

Lib Dems Four-Day Finance Chief Costs £290k

Friday, 22 May, 2026
Somerset Conservatives have accused the Liberal Democrat administration of presiding over continuing “financial instability and chaos” after it emerged the council will spend almost £300,000 extending its temporary finance chief arrangement for another year.A report presented to Full Council on Wedn
Diogo Rodrigues

Nearly 2,000 Somerset SEND children left “in limbo”

Monday, 18 May, 2026
Somerset Conservatives have renewed concerns over the county’s SEND system after newly released figures showed major delays in Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) phase transfer reviews.The figures were released following questions submitted by Councillor Diogo Rodrigues, Leader of the Opposition
Diogo Rodrigues

Conservatives challenge Somerset Council over EHCP transition delays

Thursday, 14 May, 2026
Somerset Conservatives have raised alarm over growing delays in SEND phase transfer reviews, warning that too many children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) are being left without timely transition arrangements when moving between schools.The concerns were raised by Councillor Diogo Rod
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