January Update

Happy New Year to you all! I hope you’ve had a peaceful start to 2026 and managed to enjoy the festive season even if it seems a distant memory now! Over the past few months, my work as County Councillor for Brynford and Halkyn has focused on a mix of local issues, working with local groups, and wider scrutiny responsibilities.

Tarmac Quarry – Road Closure at Moel y Crio / Coed y Felin

A significant ongoing local concern is the continued closure of the road from Moel y Crio down to Coed y Felin, which has now been shut for almost two years. I fully recognise the frustration this has caused for residents who rely on this route.

A significant ongoing local concern is the continued closure of the road from Moel y Crio down to Coed y Felin, which has now been shut for almost two years. I fully recognise the frustration this has caused for residents who rely on this route.

Tarmac have confirmed that further work is due to begin in January. This will involve monitoring how surface water feeds into the fault, designing a drainage solution to divert water further down the hill into the limestone, and then stabilising the fault using blocky limestone. Their current estimate is that the road could reopen towards the back end of the summer, subject to the investigations and engineering work progressing as expected.

Planning Applications: Tiger Tim and Pant Quarry

There is a live planning application for the proposed Tiger Tim expansion, which has generated significant local interest. A community group has been formed and a door-knock carried out to raise awareness and gather residents’ views.

In response, Simon and I have referred the application to the Planning Committee, meaning it will be decided by elected members rather than officers. I do not sit on the Committee, but I will represent residents’ views.

There is also a live planning application for Pant y Pwll Dŵr Quarry, Brynford, seeking to extend its operational life by 40 years. The proposal does not increase output, working hours, staffing, or change the nature of operations, and would extend north of the existing site. Both applications remain live, and residents are encouraged to comment.

Bin, Recycling and Road Safety Issues

I have raised ongoing concerns about waste and recycling, particularly missed collections in our rural ward with many properties on unadopted roads. I have also raised the issue of bins and recycling bags not being returned to where they were collected from, which residents frequently report. The waste team have committed to increasing training so that residents receive a more consistent and reliable service.

At the request of residents, I have also asked for the process to be started to introduce yellow lines:

• Outside the shop in Pentre Halkyn.
• The junction to Hafod y Bryn in Brynford.

These concerns relate to road safety, particularly where parked vehicles restrict visibility. Residents have highlighted that this is especially problematic and potentially dangerous during school and bus pick-up and drop-off times.

Supporting Residents and Scrutiny Work

Alongside visible local issues, I also work with residents on confidential casework, including social care, housing, transport, planning, environmental concerns and education.

A key part of my role is scrutiny and holding the Council to account. Following the Estyn inspection at Flint High School, I challenged Cabinet on whether the Council’s Education & Youth Self-Evaluation Report still stood up to scrutiny, given that Estyn inspections look back over several years rather than at a single moment in time.

I continue to be a strong voice for fairer funding for schools. School budgets have been cut back to the bare bones, leaving little or no flexibility to maintain high-quality education. Welsh Government passported funding for the teachers’ pay award back to the Council, but Cabinet chose to place this into reserves rather than returning it to school budgets. I challenged this through scrutiny and supported a Notice of Motion at full Council calling for the funding to be put back into schools.

I am a member of the administration group, but I will not support Cabinet decisions simply because they come from my own party. If I believe a decision is wrong — particularly where it affects children and education — I will challenge it.

I also value my role on the Social & Health Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, where recent work has focused on how the Council responds to rising demand for adult social care. This has included scrutiny of budget pressures, mitigation actions, and service models that promote supported living. There have been interesting discussions about how we can increase our in-house fostering, and how we bring children back into local care where appropriate. I want to acknowledge the officers and frontline teams who continue to deliver these services under significant pressure.

Links

The Leader - Inspection report released for troubled Flint High School

The Leader - Labour councillor joins Cabinet education report outcry

Inspection report Flint High School 2026