What does the Community Council do?
Quiet Penyffordd during the COVID-19 lockdown
The Community Council have seen or received a number of comments and messages from some residents which are critical of Community Councillors and their actions.
We would like to take this opportunity to openly clarify the position and the role of the Council as a whole.
Our local shops, pubs, cafe, takeaway, the Legion, local trades and businesses and countless fundraisers and volunteers have made huge efforts to raise funds and keep providing services through this unprecedented time and we support and applaud them all for their efforts.
The Council supports all businesses in the ward. The Council supports and endorses fundraising by individuals and groups as far as it is able to.
Throughout this period, we have offered what support we are able to through publicity of fundraising activities.
The council listens to people. Members are active in the community in different ways with strong links to organisations and local schools. We are here and happy to speak to anyone about our work or help that is needed.
The continued criticism of the Community Council is unjustified and unprovoked.
The Role of the Community Council
There may be some confusion about the role of the community council and the limitations on its actions.
The Community Council is a public body, the most local level of our democracy providing a link between community and government and back. It consists of elected or co-opted members who serve the community according to guidelines set out in Standing Orders. The community council in Penyffordd consists of 13 volunteer members (2 of which are also Flintshire County Councillors), one volunteer youth representative and two part-time employees, our clerk & responsible financial officer and our Streetscene operative.
We are responsible for the upkeep of parts of the community, some play areas, some hedges and grass areas, some signage, benches and bus stops. In addition the council is a statutory consultee for planning applications and for a wide range of government business. Through local precept income, the community council issues annual grants to community groups and organisations through an application process. We also fund the summer play scheme at the Millstone play area.
The Community Council is not a fundraising body and is not able to fundraise directly due to being a government body funded by taxpayers money. All the funds controlled by the community council are public money and have to be accounted for following strict processes.
Current Activities of the Community Council
Individual volunteer members take on additional responsibilities to seek to improve our community.
We have installed planters around the community sponsored by local businesses, we have planted dozens of trees, using hard won grants, and thousands of donated flowers.
We have published leaflets for two circular walks around the area.
There have been significant improvements through the introduction of more noticeboards, a new website, a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
We have part-funded and supported the installation of new changing rooms at Abbots Lane with the football club and school.
We have refurbished the Millstone play area and are actively working on plans for the Dobshill, Westview and Melwood Close play areas having secured match-funding.
We have supported the installation of Defibrillators at the Institute, Abbots Lane and Dobshill.
We have been working closely with the War Memorial Institute committee through the design, public consultation, tender and management of their extension, overseeing the use of the S106 funds received from Taylor Wimpey.
We have been working with the Scouts and other local organisations and facilitated a working group, funding and support from FLVC and Cadwyn Clwyd for the potential asset transfer of the Youth Club building.
We are planting one tree in Indonesia for every resident of the village.
We are working on plans now for the refurbishment of the Memorial Garden, around the clock, which celebrates its 70th anniversary next year.
We have prepared proposals for safety improvements on Hawarden Road / Chester Road junction and past the new Co-op.
We have prepared proposals for the acquisition of the old school playing field on Penymynydd Road with a view to creating a public park.
We have lobbied Welsh Government and the local authority for improved cycling safe routes to Mold and Broughton, as well as footpaths.
We have produced and distributed printed newsletters updating everyone about community activities.
In addition to these positive and proactive measures, we are also busy campaigning on behalf of residents dealing with issues in the community with Hanson Cement, the Co-op, housing developers on Hawarden Road, Melwood Close, Chester Road, Rhos Road and Dobshill. We are actively fighting the planning inspectorate over decisions made on Rhos Road and the outstanding Vounog application.
We are also lobbying for support through the emerging Local Development Plan with Flintshire County Council.
We are also in regular contact with other neighbouring councils and village groups across North Wales.
Aside from the lobbying and representation, there is real world harm during construction for residents of Tates, Wellhouse and Hawarden Road, with parking, HGVs, noise and flooding. We meet with, communicate with and represent residents regularly.
We have been working most recently to defend the interests of businesses and jobs on the petrol station site at Dobshill who are threatened by a current application for a new drive through filling station.
We liaise regularly with the local schools over their community links, parking, access and supporting their activities including Ysgol Penyffordd’s Litter Pick as part of Springclean Cymru and their campaign for a safe crossing to the train station.
We are very active in defending our public transport through links with Transport Wales and FCC over bus services.
We liaise with the local Police through our PSCO with regard to crime and antisocial behaviour, providing an important link within the community.
We liaise regularly with the local authority and our MP and AM to represent the needs of our community.
Community Council Activities during the COVID-19 Pandemic
During the COVID-19 lockdown, despite having a number of members isolating and the sad sad loss of Edwina after over 40 years service, we have been very active supporting the community in practical ways.
We have funded materials to ‘For the Love of Scrubs’ to make key worker scrubs, we have members who have personally delivered newspapers and shopping to isolated individuals.
We have donated face marks to local care homes.
Members have been providing telephone company to the isolated. Members have been providing support to individuals going through the redundancy process or who have needed shopping or help with care.
We have installed NHS support banners and lights and we have continued to meet more regularly than normal through digital meetings, the most recent of which have been made available to the public via a new YouTube channel.
We have supported VE Day commemorations, not as we planned, but through a flag display and video message via the local churches.
Members have devoted time regularly every week, with the support of the British Legion, to create a lending library of books, DVDs and jigsaws and which has been very successful.
We delivered puzzle books and crossword books to the elderly. We provided protective gloves and hand sanitiser to volunteers including the COVID-19 group.
And throughout we have posted, on our website, on Facebook and on noticeboards, regular COVID updates and fraud warning for the community and answered queries about rules, services, playgrounds and public footpaths.
And in addition to all that, we meet at least once a month, read government publications, manage our budget, minutes and documents and the statutory requirements of an employer and legislation such as GDPR.
Everyone undertaking these activities is a volunteer, giving up their time, without fanfare and without commercial gain and so we will continue. Some have been enduring significant disruption to their own lives and livelihoods too.
With the sad loss of Edwina, a place is available on the Community Council, the details will be discussed at our July meeting and published afterwards. We welcome active and community minded member to add to our strength.
We hope that you will recognise that we are passionate about our community and making it an even better place to live.
On behalf of Penyffordd Community Council,
Alan Wight (Chair) and Richard Bestwick (Vice-Chair)
Anyone with any questions or comments for the Community Council can address them via the Clerk: