About Your Town Council
A Town Council (or Community Council as they are also known) is the level of government closest to the people. These Councils are based on specific geographical areas and Buckley Town Council serves and represents the needs of the whole community of Buckley. The Town is further divided into smaller geographical areas called wards.
Elections are held every five years, the most recent election being in May 2022), whereby the residents are asked to elect between three and seven Councillors, dependent on which ward you live in, to represent the particular interests of their wards and the general interests of the Town. Details of the Councillors representing each ward can be found here. All members sit on all standing committees. There are four wards within the Town and a total of 20 members are elected who collectively form the Town Council. The Council, annually in May, appoints one of its Councillors to the position of Town Mayor who then represents the Town Council at various events throughout the year. Town Councillors are community minded individuals who stand for election because they care about the community and wish to see a difference being made. They are eligible to receive allowances prescribed by the Independent Remuneration Panel Wales – currently £208 per annum (2023/24). A new members Code of Conduct was adopted by the Town Council at it’s meeting held on Tuesday 22nd March 2016. A hard copy can be viewed at the council’s offices any weekday between 9am and 12 noon or in the policy document section of this website.
Town Council Meetings
Buckley Town Councillors meet at least once a month (except August) to discuss a variety of topics relevant to the running and development of the Town. The Town Council prides itself on conducting its business in an open and transparent manner. It makes its agendas and minutes available at the public library and on the document section of this website. At every Full Council meeting held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, Buckley residents have the opportunity to observe Council business. The Public are also invited to put in written questions to the Council which are dealt with under the Public Question Time Scheme.
Buckley Boundaries
Buckley Town Council is one of 34 Town and Community Councils within Flintshire – it is the largest in terms of population. The Town’s boundaries stretch from the Pren Hill on the western boundary with Argoed to Little Mountain at the eastern boundary with Penyffordd. Southwards the Town boundary with Leeswood extends to include Padeswood and the Cement Works. To the north the boundary with Hawarden is at the junction of Liverpool Road and Globe Way.
Flintshire County Council
The Town Council is limited in what it does by law. It does not have the extensive powers of Flintshire County Council which is the principal authority responsible for delivering most of the essential strategic day to day services within the Town. Further information about Flintshire County Council can be found on their website.
What is our role?
The Town Council’s principal role is to represent the views of its residents, businesses and other organisations in the Town and it does this by regularly debating issues at its meetings. It considers matters referred to it by the Welsh Assembly, Flintshire County Council, other public agencies, local organisations and members of the public. Sometimes these are issues on which it has a statutory right to express a view e.g. planning matters. At other times it is consulted as an interested party, for example on a future Health Authority strategy or a proposal that could affect the Commons. At other times it has to seek out information on which it feels it should have been consulted or which it would like to express an opinion on behalf of the Town e.g. policing resources to tackle crime and disorder. Additionally, the Council regularly invites a number and variety of speakers to address the Council on matters of general interest or local significance. To facilitate this process the Council employs a small staff to manage the Council’s legal, financial and administrative affairs and additionally they conduct the research necessary to keep the Council as fully informed as possible about the issues affecting the Town. The Town Council also finances and organises the annual Fun Day, Christmas Lights Switch-On, Firework Display, Hanging Baskets, the Public Conveniences, the Static CCTV Camera System in the town and operates three mobile CCTV Cameras.