COUNTY HALL – Parliament is in recess and the council chamber is quieter during August, but the work of local politicians and civic representatives continues throughout the summer.
That has been the idea behind Beverley Review’s summer series. We have been speaking to political figures from different parties and different parts of Hull and the East Riding about what they are working on, what they value about the places they represent and the five records providing their summer soundtrack.
We have deliberately heard from across the political spectrum and from people holding different positions in local public life. Our penultimate profile features Councillor Linda Johnson, Chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
The chairmanship is a little different from most of the political roles featured in the series. Although Linda remains an elected councillor, as Chairman she is expected to conduct meetings of the Full Council fairly and without political bias, while also serving as the civic figurehead for the East Riding.
The civic side of the role has kept Linda busy throughout the summer, with a varied programme of engagements across the East Riding. Among the highlights have been the visit of the Princess Royal, Yorkshire Day in Goole and Withernsea’s Blue Light Weekend, alongside civic services, exhibitions and citizenship ceremonies.
What’s on your plate this summer?
Linda describes the Chairman’s job as having two distinct parts. The first is chairing meetings of the Full Council fairly and even-handedly, upholding the democratic process without political bias. The second is representing the East Riding as its civic figurehead.
That takes her to communities across the county, visiting schools, businesses and charities, attending civic occasions and representing the council both within the East Riding and further afield.
Linda says she has been humbled by the trust fellow councillors placed in her when they elected her Chairman earlier this year.
The summer has provided plenty of opportunities to carry out the civic side of the job. One of the highlights was the visit of the Princess Royal, when Linda attended the presentation of awards on behalf of the Sailors’ Children’s Society.
Yorkshire Day took her to Goole, where civic representatives from across the county gathered as the town celebrates its 200th anniversary.
She also attended Withernsea’s Blue Light Weekend, an event she described as an incredible feat of organisation, bringing together emergency services and the community on the East Yorkshire coast.
Elsewhere, the diary has included opening exhibitions, attending civic services and awards, and welcoming new British citizens at citizenship ceremonies.
The one part of the role largely absent during August has been visiting schools and colleges, for the fairly obvious reason that their pupils and students have been enjoying the summer holidays. Those visits will begin again as the new academic year gets underway.
What’s on your playlist this summer?
Linda’s five choices begin with a song which requires little explanation after the weather we have had this year.
Arrow – Hot, Hot, Hot
“This summer has been hot, hot, hot,” she says.
Her second choice comes from her all-time favourite band.
The Beatles – Here Comes the Sun
The Beatles remain Linda’s favourite group, making George Harrison’s celebration of sunshine a natural choice for the list.
Bryan Adams – Summer of ’69
Linda was 13 in 1969 and remembers summers spent getting out with school friends, riding bikes and playing tennis, before the responsibilities of exams began to take over.
Mungo Jerry – In the Summertime
Released in 1970, it is another record closely associated with the long summer days of Linda’s teenage years.
Her final choice comes with perhaps the best story of the five.
Ella Fitzgerald – Summertime
Linda saw Ella Fitzgerald perform in Germany during a school exchange when she was in her early teens, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra.
Why is the East Riding such a great place to be in summer?
For Linda, much of the appeal lies in the sheer variety of the East Riding.
There is the coastline, countryside and rivers, the Humber Bridge and the Yorkshire Wolds, alongside farmland, parks, historic houses, medieval ruins, museums and gardens.
Summer also brings another layer of activity. Festivals and events take place across towns and villages, many of them free to attend, while walking, cycling and public transport provide different ways of exploring the county.
I have been humbled by the trust fellow councillors placed in me when they elected me Chairman earlier this year.
Cllr Linda Johnson, Chairman of East Riding Council
Linda points to the Moorsbus and rail connections around the area as ways of getting out without always relying on the car, alongside the many walking and cycling routes through the East Riding.
There is also the wildlife, from the coast and wetlands to the chalk streams of the Yorkshire Wolds, and the changing landscape of the countryside through the summer months.
Above all, Linda says it is the communities themselves which make the East Riding special, with people coming together throughout the summer to organise events and welcome visitors.
Linda’s summer has reflected both parts of the Chairman’s role. She has continued to represent the council and the East Riding while the formal meeting calendar has been lighter, with the usual programme of schools and colleges set to resume as the summer holidays end.
September will also see the council calendar return to its usual pace and Linda back in the Chairman’s seat for meetings of Full Council.
Image credits: East Riding Council, Cllr Linda Johnson, The Sailors Society