IT is always refreshing to find a politician willing to swim against the tide in the interests of ordinary people.

County councillor Melinda Tilley is clearly one of these rare creatures.

Witness her response at a meeting when officers recommended refusing a grant to a community charity.

Apparently, the charity ‘did not meet the criteria’, whatever that means.

Ignoring their advice, Mrs Tilley handed £2,500 to the Thrive Barton project, saying: “That’s better than a slap in the face with a wet kipper.”

It certainly is. In an age when our politicians often appear frightened of their own shadows, it’s comforting to know there’s a good old-fashioned maverick prowling the corridors of county hall.