New mayor of Cambridge Cllr Dinah Pounds aims to ‘make arts and culture more accessible’

The new mayor of Cambridge, Cllr Dinah Pounds, has spoken about her hopes for the year after being sworn in during a ceremony at the Guildhall.

After a year as deputy mayor, Cllr Pounds has taken over from Cllr Baiju Thittala and follows in the footsteps of previous Labour councillors who represented Romsey, Bill Briggs and Barry Gardiner, who went on to be a Labour MP.

Cllr Pounds told the Cambridge Independent she was “really looking forward” to the year ahead.

“Every mayor has a theme, and I’m a musician. I’ve been a teacher and obviously a performer as well, so arts and culture are very dear to my heart,” she said.

“That’s really my thing – bringing art and culture to individuals and communities because it’s so very important for people to be able to participate, whether they’re listening or playing.

“So I’ll be working with the council, with schools, with the university to open up all the arts and culture and make it accessible.

“There’s an awful lot going on in Cambridge, but we don’t necessarily know about it – especially in the university, often it’s tucked away.

“And the university are very keen to reach out to the community as well, so it [the position of mayor] is a facilitating role really.”

Cllr Pounds is a classically-trained flautist who studied at the London College of Music and regularly performs with the Great St Mary's Orchestra, and also with the Romsey Music Project she created with her husband, which puts on free lunchtime concerts at St Philip’s Church on Mill Road.

She grew up in Waltham Forest and has lived in Cambridge for 25 years.

“My husband’s a musician as well, and we moved here to work, to teach music and performing arts at Long Road Sixth Form College,” said Cllr Pounds, who prior to living in Cambridge resided in Stansted and Bishop’s Stortford.

Charities are always supported by the city’s mayor.

Cllr Pounds, who has two children and a six-month-old grandchild, will support The Programme of Prevention and Treatment for Neurotrauma, run by Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT).

She said: “I went, as deputy mayor, to the Neurotrauma Conference at Addenbrooke’s, with Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust.

“They obviously specialise in neurotrauma and brain injuries, but they’re also very keen on education, raising awareness, and as a city of cyclists I felt this was really important.

“I was really impressed with the work they’re doing, going out to the community, getting people to wear their cycle helmets and things like that, so they’re my chosen charity.”

A further charity to be supported by the mayor will be confirmed soon.

In her spare time, Cllr Pounds enjoys “green space, getting out, walking and obviously cycling – because you have to do that in Cambridge or you won’t get anywhere!”

She said: “We go walking a lot, usually to the Peak District or the Lake District, that’s something we really enjoy – and I have an allotment!

“And we’re really lucky in Cambridge to have the Botanic Garden – that’s a lovely place that we like to visit.

During her mayoral year, she is also looking forward to “visiting different communities”, taking part in activities like Chinese New Year celebrations, Cambridge Pride and some of the activities run by the council.

“Those sort of local events where people come together, and particularly when it’s different cultures coming together, are things that I’m looking forward to, because they’re very enjoyable and interesting and you do meet some really lovely people,” she said.

The new mayor is also excited about the council’s plans to revamp the Guildhall under its wider civic quarter plans.

“I love the Guildhall, and I’m really pleased that we’re going to return that to its former glory and make it open to the community so people can come in and get the halls being used more,” she said.

“And as a civic centre, I think that’s going to be a big bonus for residents, something that we’ll all enjoy.”