For the latest in our summer series, we catch up with Cllr John Dimberline, leader of the Reform UK group on East Riding of Yorkshire Council, to find out what’s on his plate, what’s on his playlist and what he thinks makes the East Riding such a special place during the summer.
What’s on your plate?
Summer brings a little respite from the regular round of meetings and committees at County Hall for Cllr John Dimberline, although the work coming directly from residents certainly doesn’t disappear.
His summer casework covers everything from barking dogs and housing problems to dumped rubbish, anti-social behaviour, roads, footpaths and planning issues. Concerns about immigration are also among the subjects residents bring to him.
There is, he says, plenty of helping and supporting people through problems, which leads him to describe the job in slightly broader terms.
“I like to think of myself as a councillor and a counsellor for the people,” he says. “Sounds the same, but very different approach.”
There is plenty happening outside the council chamber too. Two years ago, John started TownSMART East Yorkshire, bringing volunteers together to carry out practical improvements around the town.
“We clean, wash, cut back, trim, paint and repair things around the town,” he says, praising the “amazing volunteers” who work alongside him.
So while summer might mean fewer formal meetings, there is still plenty on the plate.
What’s on your playlist?
John describes his musical taste as a “mixed bag of easy listening tunes from various artists”, spanning several decades.
ABBA is firmly in there.
“I know, but I was brought up on that stuff,” he says.
There are the Stars on 45 mixes and Patrick Hernandez’s Born to Be Alive, while John Denver provides two particular favourites.
“Country Roads, now there’s a classic,” he says, also choosing Annie’s Song.
Some James Blunt completes a playlist that happily wanders between pop, disco, country and easy listening without worrying too much about what decade any of it came from.
What’s amazing about the East Riding in summer?
For John, the answer starts with the people.
“It’s a great place to be because of the people,” he says, describing the East Riding as friendly and accommodating, with great places to visit and, particularly during summer, its beaches.
One event gets a special mention: Withernsea’s Blue Light Weekend, which has grown into a major attraction for the town.
“That’s a huge crowd puller,” he says.
And his advice for anyone considering going is considerably less restrained than the average councillor’s tourism pitch:
“Don’t be square, be there.”