It is with great sadness that I add a post to record the death of Jenny Dibsdall, Sevenoaks District Councillor for Crockenhill and Well Hill.
Jenny's husband, Colin, was for many years both District and Parish Councillor in Crockenhill, and the community leader for the village. Although he had quietly coped with lymphoma for some years, Colin's death in November 2011 was sudden. Like many others, I will not quickly forget Jenny's speech, both funny and affecting, about her life with Colin at the reception in the village hall after the funeral.
In the subsequent by-election, Jenny stood as the Labour candidate and won. She too proved to be an effective and hard-working councillor, committed to both communities that she represented. As with Colin (who was a Liberal Democrat and subsequently independent Councillor), I found that the difference in our party labels made no difference to our ability to work together. One of our last conversations was when we were both delivering leaflets for our respective 'sides' in the recent County Council elections.
In recent months, Jenny was gravely ill but she maintained her work and her service to the communities she represented. The communities of Crockenhill and Well Hill have suffered a severe loss. Above all, our thoughts must now be with the Dibsdall family, who have suffered two major bereavements in little over eighteen months.
I am grateful for you sensitive comments, Roger. Jenny was an amazing person, so driven and positive in everything she took on. As a social worker and social work manager, she 'made a positive difference ' to the lives of 100s of children. More recently, as a local councillor, her clear and analytical skills were very welcome. I worked with Jenny in social work services for many years and always her ability to remain calm and clear in her thinking during a crisis. She also had a wicked sense of humour. I will miss her.
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