She writes, ‘I enjoyed getting involved in local issues through the parish council so much that standing for East Riding of Yorkshire Council seemed like a natural progression. I am proud to serve the residents of North Ferriby, Swanland, Melton and Welton and hope that I do a good job for them.

I regularly attend all parish council meetings in my Ward to ensure that I am up to date with all issues and concerns. My greatest achievements as a ward councillor have been securing the new footpath and safety barriers alongside the A63 for children going to South Hunsley School, and lobbying for and getting the improvements to drainage in North Ferriby, a £2.2m scheme that protects many homes from flooding.’

On East Riding Council, Julie enjoyed eight years on the Strategic Planning Committee which gave her a good grounding to understand the complexities around major planning applications such as Humberfield Farm waste facility and Melton Fields as well as numerous unpopular wind farms.

She has also served on other committees including the Environment & Transport Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the Audit Committee which provided an invaluable source of information about the running of the Council.

She was Chairman of the Children & Young People Overview & Scrutiny sub-committee for four years and took on her current role as the cabinet member with the portfolio of Children, Young People & Education and the statutory lead member for children’s services in 2011. She writes, ‘My ambition is for every child in the East Riding to be safe and happy and to fulfil their potential and I would like every one of our schools to be judged to be good or better at their next inspection. I am concerned about the lack of funding for schools in the East Riding compared to other authorities across the country and I am very proactive in lobbying Government for a National Fair Funding Formula.’

Julie is also a governor at North Ferriby CE School and a trustee at the Hull based Sailors’ Children’s Society. In her spare time she enjoys walking her rescue dog, a black Labrador cross.