Personal Statement:

Born and raised in Lancashire, I came up to Aberdeen to study Economic Science at university in 1995 and never left. I joined the Scottish Liberal Democrats the day after the GE wipeout in 2015. As a mum of four children under the age of 10, I had no time or energy to spare, so I was an inactive member for many years.
In 2021, I was called by my local Lib Dem councillor, looking for a successor on his retirement the next year. That call marked the start of me becoming an activist and campaigner. Four years on, I’m an Aberdeenshire Councillor, member of the Scottish Lib Dem Women (SLDW) Exec and member of the Green Lib Dems. Aside from Lib Demming and parenting four plus a cocker spaniel, I have a ridiculously large boardgame collection (500+), and have played over 80 different ones (at time of writing) this year. I also have a ridiculously large yarn collection to feed my crochet habit! You can find out more about me on https://melsullivan.mycouncillor.org.uk/, and also my Facebook page Councillor Mel Sullivan, North Kincardine.
I do my best work as part of a group. I like to have a clear plan, with well-defined areas of responsibility, unambiguous communication and a happy, collaborative atmosphere. My areas of strength – planning, keeping a group on-task, diffusing tensions and finding compromises.
 
What skills/experience will you bring to the role?

For the past two years, I have been a member of the Conference Committee. I have also been the SLDW representative on Policy Committee. I am Vice-Convener of my local party and both co minutes secretary and co vice-chair of my council group. I am currently standing as a non-target seat candidate for Scottish Parliament, and am part of the North-East region campaign team, with responsibility for our social media. I have experience of chairing meetings and I also have experience of heading up teams running archery competitions, from local to national level, during my student days and up until child number three. 
As an Aberdeenshire Councillor, I’m part of the administration. This means I have experience working and finding compromises with folk of very different viewpoints. From setting a budget, deciding on the council tax rate, planning applications, making horrible choices on what services we can afford to continue, I have a front-row seat on seeing what reasoned decisions, good governance and teamwork (and the contrary) looks like. 
My two years on Conference Committee have been a good learning experience. I’ve pitched in wherever possible, starting as a ‘runner’, then aide, then during this last conference, debate chair. I supported the introduction of mini-motions, suggested the different colour lanyards for conference team and first timers, and asked for the inclusion of training sessions. I made a start on Michael Turvey’s idea of creating a Lib Dem tartan – the process was rudely interrupted by the General Election. I believe I’ve been fair and impartial during the selection of motions for conference. 
I am currently the SLDW representative on policy committee, and hope to continue in that role until the Scottish election manifesto is finalised. Knowing the progress of each manifesto area and where any gaps are will be very useful in the run-up to the 2026 spring conference.

What do you hope to achieve if elected?

If I am elected as a conference committee member, I will continue as I’ve started during the past two years. I will support the convener, be a positive, active and reliable team member. I’ll keep coming up with ideas to make conference even more useful, fun and accessible for all members. I’ll also (when we’re not in the run-up to an election) finish the consultation on the design of a Liberal Democrat tartan in order for it to be put to the members as a motion. 
Ideas I would pitch to the Conference Convener –
Promoting the current offer of a pre-submission check for conference motions
 Standardising feedback to authors of conference motions
 Expanding the range of fringe, informal and social events
 Exploring the possibility of making Autumn a two-day conference
 Better tie-in with Affiliated Organisations
 Autumn 2027 – working with the internal elections team to create a one page nomination form to make the process quick and easy to do in person at conference.