A life in the day of a County Councillor

Is it that time already? 6.30am (7.30 is a lie-in). Peel myself out of bed to put together bacon sandwiches for the traveller (my husband who works in the Midlands) Goodbye, and off he goes. Collect dogs from outside, I am very popular with them but I suspect that is to do with the prospect of food!

I didn't mean to go into politics but when the sitting councillor retired, my Lib Dem colleagues pressed me to stand for election - in effect saying, 'You've always been critical of the County Council so put yourself in the firing line'

Another coffee (if I can master the machine) and a glance at the diary. Most things are already programmed into my head but I have a horror of missing a meeting.

Another coffee!

What have we got today?

9am meet Leader of the Council and executive colleagues for an informal discussion, have to leave early for a meeting

10am with officers who work within my portfolio area - Waste Management and Strategy. Not an area I'd really considered before - Yes, of course, we recycle at home, but once the stuff was collected I never gave it another thought. Now I am looking at everything we don't want or use - is it a resource; would someone else be able to use it; what weight is the waste remaining in the black bag. My aim is 150kg per house per year.

The big discovery is that if cardboard is collected separately (there is currently a pilot scheme in part of Flintshire) and food waste separately the black bag isn't very heavy at all!

12noon Meeting with a new Director who has to hit the ground running, just like the politicians, and has to know everything about Flintshire the minute he walks through the door at County Hall.

At County Hall

2pm the afternoon can be free, so its time to read up on the papers for tomorrow; phone/email son in Australia, son in Nottingham; sister in USA -why does it always seem to be the wrong time where they are? Can I call in to drink tea with dad?

5pm tuna and rice again for the dogs' dinner hope they don't realise that this treat is because I have forgotten to buy a sack of food. Off for a walk.

7pm Community Council. No papers here, they all come electronically to my laptop (yes it is mine and no the County Council did not provide it for me). The only question is, 'Can I press the right buttons?'

9pm back home to walk the dogs, sneak a glass of wine and half an hour's TV then off to bed.

Walking the dogs

Its a great life but gosh, an extra couple of hours in the day would be really useful.