Lee Dillon, leader of the West Berkshire Liberal Democrat group, talks to newburytoday ahead of the local council elections in May

For the son of a trade union man, Lee Dillon (Thatcham North East) might well have joined the Labour Party.

But if you cut him in half, he is stamped through with Liberal Democrat.

He is the Liberal Democrat group leader heading the charge into the local council elections in West Berkshire in May.

He is also the man most likely to threaten the sitting Newbury MP Laura Farris at the next general election.

“I was brought up in a political family,” he said. “Politics was always discussed around the kitchen table.

“My family are really supportive allowing me to do this, particularly my wife. We have three young children aged 10, eight and five.”

Lee’s father was an inspiration to him, and he hopes he is passing on a decent values to his children.

“They have a real good sense of justice,” he says, proudly. “Whether it is them playing together and one does something wrong, how they share.

“But they’ve got to lead their own lives and they don’t need to follow in their dad’s footsteps.

“Whatever they decide to do, I can only hope they have a strong moral compass.”

Lee is undeniably enthusiastic. He works full time as a locality manager for Sovereign Housing.

So how is he going to fit it all in?

“I’ve always been a busy person so I’m not worried about fitting it all in.”

If his party does win, it means he will be the leader of the council.

“We are really excited about it. We have a full slate of candidates for the district and both town councils.

“We are ready to seize control.

“I’ve served on the council on and off since 2007. I love West Berkshire. I was born and raised here.

“It is not about who the leader of the council is, but it is about the policies we bring in that can make a difference.

“The biggest challenge we have got is unpicking some of the mess we have been left with.

“So the unfair housing allocation within the Local Plan, the London Road Industrial Estate mess and the [Faraday Road] football club are the biggest challenges.

“In terms of the opportunities, West Berkshire is a place where people do want to come and live, so we want to make it even better.”

Lee grew up on a council estate run by Sovereign. His father was a trade union official and his first political inspiration happened when he was a boy.

“There was a spinney of woods behind the house where we used to play,” he explains.

“A garage block was being knocked down for housing. So I went door to door and got all my friends and parents to sign a petition to say we want to keep the play area.

“I must have been 10 at the time. I’ve always liked speaking up for people who don’t have a voice.”

Lee went to primary school in Cold Ash then to St Bart’s in Newbury and it was at St Bart’s that he joined the Liberal Democrat party.

“There was a young people’s youth council in Newbury – Martha Vickers [now a Liberal Democrat councillor on both Newbury Town Council and West Berkshire Council] was the mayor at the time and asked young people to get involved.

“I was elected and became chair of the youth council.

“I was in the steering committee to set up the national youth government.

“For me policy should be about evidence and not ideology and Labour has that philosophy to them, but the Lib Dems will be led more by the market.”

He is now in the final few weeks of campaigning and likes the banter of the campaign trail.

“We do get the door closed in our faces sometimes. You give them a leaflet and they will say ‘I’ll put it in the recycling for you’.

“But we are hearing about dismay at national politics.

“Locally, potholes come up so often.

“They can see them from their front doors can’t they so we are always getting

that pointed out on the doorsteps.”

Lee describes his leadership style as collaborative.

“We are a very democratic party. We always listen to the membership.

“I want a diverse group of people around the table.

“I think it’s the ability to reach agreement through compromise which has been the success of my leadership so far.

“We need a new tone of politics in West Berkshire.

“We want to hear from residents and we need to show the public asking us questions in council the respect they deserve.”