COUNCIL tax in Flintshire is set to rise by less than four per cent, the council says. Flintshire Council says that annual rises in council tax of five per cent or more are no longer acceptable . This year the council plans to contain the annual increase in council tax to under four per cent in keeping with that line. This will amount to a weekly increase on a Band D property of about £1.00 a week. The authority s cabinet meets later this month to make final recommendations for setting a balanced budget for 2021/22. The local authority says it has made £100m of savings over the past decade to make it as efficient as possible and to shield front-line services from damaging budget cuts.
WE are creating a mental health crisis as millions of people are left excluded from Government support during Covid-19 pandemic, campaign members say. ExcludedUK is a volunteer-led campaign which aims to bring an end to the exclusions brought about by UK Government support grants. Tim Smith is one member who started his job at ‘the wrong time’ back in March and was not eligible for financial support from the Government. He now plays an active role in the ExcludedUK campaign along with other volunteers, to reach out to those who need support the most and who have ‘slipped through the cracks’.
Latest civil service & public affairs moves January 18
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People
Government departments
Prime Minister’s Office: UK Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe – John Howell MP appointed as Leader, Martin Vickers MP replaced Roger Gale MP as a member, and Cherilyn Mackrory MP appointed as a substitute member.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Tim Stew has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Panama.
Wilton Park – Tom Cargill appointed as Chief Executive.
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Arts Council England – Nicholas Serota reappointed as Chair.
Flintshire Council said they were saddened to hear of the death of Councillor Kevin Hughes of Gwernymynydd. Mr Hughes joined the council in 2017, but in his previous career had been a police officer with Cheshire Constabulary and a journalist covering Ellesmere Port and Flintshire. As a keen and gifted photographer, he had offered his services to Flintshire council on a number of occasions. Most recently, he had documented the demolition of Phases 3 and 4 at County hall, attending regularly to take photographs. This archive will now form one of many lasting tributes to his skill and enthusiasm. A number of senior councillors and officers have paid tribute to their late colleague.
BBC News
Published
image captionKevin Hughes was treated at Wrexham Maelor Hospital before he died with coronavirus
A man has died with Covid-19 less than a month after the funeral of his mother, who also died with the virus.
Flintshire councillor Kevin Hughes, 63, was being treated at Wrexham Maelor Hospital but died on Friday morning, the authority said.
He had previously spoken of his sadness at missing his mother s funeral last month after he tested positive for coronavirus.
Council colleague Chris Dolphin said he was a big man with a big heart .
The independent councillor, also a former policeman and journalist, sat with the Liberal Democrat group.