A Digital Leap: Flintshire Council debuts on Facebook two decades after its inception

Flintshire Council has published its first official Facebook post, marking the local authority’s entry into the world’s largest social media network, two decades after its inception.

The move highlights the council’s renewed focus on enhancing its engagement with the community and keeping pace with the digital era.

The council, previously the only one in Wales without a corporate Facebook page, has set up two pages – one in English and another in Welsh.

These pages, managed by the Customer Service & Communications Team, aim to serve as key platforms for emergency communications, sharing important messages, celebrating good news stories, and facilitating consultation and engagement activities.

During a meeting in December, Cllr Chris Bithell expressed concerns about potential online abuse directed at council members.

In response, he was assured that these Facebook pages will be closely moderated to manage any abusive comments and provide a controlled, official channel of communication on the platform.

The move by Flintshire Council comes after years of absence noted by its residents, especially highlighted during the pandemic lockdowns when the platform was a lifeline for many of the county’s more isolated residents.

The lack of a Facebook page had also been a point of concern among members of the council’s climate change committee, who felt it impeded the dissemination of key environmental information to residents.

The council’s first post on the page – which has quickly garnered over 1,000 followers – was a welcome message encouraging residents to follow the page for updates on various local matters such as waste collection, roadworks, job vacancies, and council news.

The page’s interactive potential was soon evident when a resident of Ffordd Pentre, Mold, utilised it to voice concerns about inadequate gritting on a road leading to Bromfield Industrial Estate after a snow shower, which had nearly resulted in a crash due to compacted ice.

Another resident pointed out signage regarding the closure of Flintshire Bridge was still in place following windy weather the other week.

The council promptly responded, promising to inform the relevant department.

You can follow the page here: https://www.facebook.com/FlintshireCC