THERE is a saying for people who are often away from home - throw your hat in first when you get back to see if you are welcome.

Coun Herbert Tindall wears so many hats, and is away from home so often, he would be hard put to know which one to throw in.

Like many country people, he is an unassuming and placid in manner, but this appearance conceals great tenacity and considerable effectiveness in a large number of public works.

To name just a few of his roles, he is a member of North Yorkshire County Council, a member of Scarborough District Council, chairman of Danby Parish Council, foreman of Danby Court Leet and vice-chairman of the North York Moors national park authority.

Trying to tie him down to an appointment for this interview took several weeks, and when I arrived at his home in Danby, near Whitby, I had to wait to see him because a neighbour had called in for help in dealing with a problem.

"It's just like a doctor's surgery here sometimes," remarked his wife, Annie.

The son of a farmer, and with farming in his blood, Coun Tindall never saw himself as a committee man.

"It just evolved that way once I discovered an interest in local politics," he said. "As many people often do, you reach your 40s and realise you want to help preserve and nurture the place you live in."

This is particularly understandable, given that he lives in a spectacularly beautiful place.

"Wouldn't you want to do the same if you lived here?," he asked.

"The wonderful dry stone walls constructed in the 18th century and still intact, some built on land which is almost vertical, are a source of wonder to me; wonder to behold."

Approaching his home from the top of the moors, with the village of Danby lying in the valley below, you can see why he is so dedicated to preserving it. The lush valley has stupendous views across the moors.

Village life took some getting used to after living and working on High Head Farm perched high, as it names suggests, on the moorland hillside.

Though retired, he still helps his son Michael on the farm, not physically nowadays, he hastens to add, but by giving advice and the benefit of his many years of experience on the farm.

He was born at Fryup, some two miles away. His grandfather farmed High Head Farm from 1918-1936. The Wykeham estate then farmed the land itself for four years before Coun Tindall's father took over the tenancy. The family has farmed the 195 acres ever since, with a fourth generation now installed; Coun Tindall left in 2000.

Like other farms in the region, High Head suffered in the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

"We didn't actually get it in our stock, but being near to a contiguous farm, movement of our cattle has been restricted. We haven't been able to buy or sell anything for months," said Mr Tindall.

"Some farm sheds are becoming so full of unusable cattle that farmers are having to build new ones to cope with the extra animals. Sadly, many others have no cattle left in theirs after having the whole herd culled," he said.

He said he hoped the government would be sympathetic to farmers who had virtually lost all their stocks. "Farmers were having it hard enough before foot-and-mouth. These young farmers, aged between 28 and 40, are what England is about."

Does serving on so many councils dilute the influence he can exert?

"No, it makes it better really, as one council problem often overlaps on to another and being on both you have first-hand knowledge to deal with the matter.

"Since cabinets were introduced, the system has been streamlined so that there aren't as many committee meetings as there used to be."

Mr Tindall is very concerned that the beautiful countryside with its dry stone walls should be preserved for future generations

"That is why I became community-minded," he said. "I remember saying in my younger days that there was no way I would become a councillor or anything like.

"But when you get to a certain age, you don't want to see the area you live in spoilt, and the only way to do this is to have some say in what happens. Perhaps I'm a nosy parker too," he laughed.

"I don't feel as though I am wasting my time, though some battles are hard."

It is not his style to thump desks or adopta hectoring or bullying tone to make his point.

"He is very even-tempered, but obviously gets things done," said Mrs Tindall. "Perhaps this is why he was asked to be on so many committees,"

Does he involve her with council business?

"No, unless it is a really serious one, then he will start to tell me all about it when we go to bed and I'm ready to go to sleep," she said.

Coun Tindall sees his task as being to try to keep the area viable for agriculture, with cattle and sheep in the fields, while moving it into the tourist industry.

"We have to keep the area as it is, as this is what visitors come to see. Contrary to what some people believe, we do welcome visitors," he said.

Coun Tindall has won many campaigns - lost a few.

"When Scarborough council was suggesting closing all the public toilets in the Upper Esk valley, we put up a big campaign and a lot of research went into the fight via the parish council. We won that one."

At present, he is interested in a move to get owners of second homes to pay 100pc council tax instead of the half they pay at the moment

He is also particularly keen on efforts to provide amenities for young adults in the parish and is working with others on a proposal to established a cheese factory in the area to provide employment.

He also serves on the steering group for Whitby market town initiative and is working on trying to help the unemployment situation at Staithes on the coast.

Being a member of the ancient Court Leet committee, which has helped keep traditions going in Danby, is one of his proudest roles. "I hope to go on serving the councils and committees for a little longer yet," he said.

"When I start to feel nervous about being wilful, or to back away from my responsibilities on committees, I shall give up. You have got to be effective or there is no point in going on.

"I feel at the moment, though, that I'm doing a very worthwhile job."

Obviously, those who elect him think so too