Labour’s Ian Roberts re elected as Flintshire Council leader

Councillor Ian Roberts has been re-elected as Flintshire County Council leader today for the year 2022-23.

Cllr Roberts, the member for the Flint Castle was nominated for the post along with independent Cllr Richard Jones at the meeting, the first since the local elections on May 5.

Leader of the Labour group in the council, Cllr Roberts was elected with 35 votes to Cllr Jones’ 26, there were five abstentions.

The Liberal Democrats agreed to support Labour’s bid to return to power in Flintshire as part of a minority administration prior to today’s meeting.

Labour was left with 31 seats overall in Flintshire and the independents 30, following the election result, both fell short of the overall majority of 34 required to take power in County Hall.

Last week the Liberal Democrat and Labour Groups agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding “aiming to improve the working of the Council over the next term,” the pact gave Labour the numbers needed to form the next administration.

Cllr Roberts first became leader of Flintshire Council in 2019 following the resignation of the previous leader Aaron Shotton.

The former education chief has represented Flint since the 1980s, originally as a town councillor, before being elected to Delyn Borough Council in 1992.

He then became part of the newly formed Flintshire County Council in 1995 and has successfully held his seat ever since.

Upon his re election Cllr Roberts said: “Thank you very much to those who voted for me for the great honour for which you have given me once again.”

“I thank the members across the chamber who voted for Councillor Richard Jones.”

“Councillor Jones is a well-known Councillor in this chamber who has been here for many years and has established himself quite a considerable reputation.”

He said: “I think now, following the election, as we begin to get today over, we draw a line in the sand on what has happened in the past.”

“Much water has gone the under the bridge, it’s right that elections are held and it’s right that we as a council, respect the vote that the people of Flintshire.”

“It’s important that we now work together for the benefit of a county which is held high in esteem in Wales, whose education service whose social services receive good inspections and have coped particularly well during the pandemic.

Cllr Roberts said: “I think once again, it won’t harm us to thank all of our staff across the council for the way in which they behaved and the way in which they continued services during those days, which I’m sure you’re all desperately hoping we won’t be going back to.”

Also elected during today’s meeting, Cllr Mared Eastwood as Chair of the Council and Cllr Gladys Healey as Vice-Chair.

Cabinet committee 

Cllr Roberts will continue to be the Cabinet Member for Education, Welsh Language, Culture and Leisure.  He named his Cabinet as follows:

Councillor Christine Jones – Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Social Services and Wellbeing

Councillor Dave Hughes – Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Streetscene and the regional transport strategy

Councillor Chris Bithell      – Cabinet Member for Planning, Public Health and Public Protection

Councillor Billy Mullin – Cabinet Member for Governance and Corporate Services including Health and Safety and Human Resources

Councillor Paul Johnson – Cabinet Member for Finance, Inclusion, Resilient Communities including Social Value and Procurement

Councillor Sean Bibby – Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration

Councillor David Healey – Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Economy