A CONNAH'S Quay man who previously served in the RAF has recently become a councillor as he looks to make a 'positive impact' within the community.

On November 9, following a by-election, Vince Roberts was elected to represent the Connah's Quay Central Ward by an overwhelming majority of 321 votes to 150 (against Labour candidate Lynne Chick).

Since then, the Independent councillor has been busy listening to what some of that ward's 3,000 or so residents are most concerned about.

Cllr Roberts grew up in Henley Avenue and went on to attend Dee Road Infants, Custom House Lane CP, then both Shotton and Connah's Quay High Schools.

The now-62-year-old then worked at Shotton Steel Works before the closure of that in 1980 led him to entering military service with the RAF and later to working at Airbus.

He then ventured into self-employment in sheet metal work before spending the last 15 years in graphic design.

In his spare time, Cllr Roberts is also a keen motorcyclist and has been running a local car group (Bunch of Fives) - which now has 500 members - for the last 13 years.

Although Cllr Roberts had no prior involvement in politics until this year, he says that his decision to become a councillor stemmed from wanting to have a 'positive impact' on the community he has grown up in.

Speaking to the Leader, he said: "I have been concerned about the slow and steady decline in Deeside since the post 'Lord Barry Jones' era.

"More recently I noticed a more positive change in attitudes within the local community, which coincided with the election of Independent councillors and this sparked a need inside me to get involved - so when the vacant position of Connah's Quay Town Councillor arose I was compelled to apply as an Independent candidate to assist wherever I could.

"I have to admit that Lord Barry Jones has had the greatest influence on me, I'm fortunate to have lived through and witnessed everything he had done for our local area, that involved both business and residential, his heart was well and truly centred upon Deeside with many residents still holding a special place in their heart for him to this to this day - he's a tough act to follow but I believe that I'm starting off in the right direction."

Cllr Roberts added: "As a Connah's Quay town councillor, my primary objective is to serve as a representative voice for the local community. I am committed to addressing the concerns of residents, advocating for their needs and actively contributing to the enhancement of Connah's Quay Central Ward.

"Since assuming this role I've identified a number of varying issues. It has become apparent that there are particular concerns impacting elderly residents who face modern every-day technological challenges and are not engaged in social media as a source of information or communication.

"In some cases, this has resulted in feelings of isolation and a hesitancy to interact with the council due to a perceived sense of apathy, which in turn directly effects their quality of life. My immediate responsibility is to them, to ensure that their voices are heard, their issues are addressed with timely follow-ups conducted.

"It's both an exciting and a challenging experience, I'm learning so much as I'm going along - my initial weeks in this role have been bustling with a variety of events and appointments, from observing Armistice Day at the War Memorial, participating in the Remembrance Sunday service at the Civic Centre and parade to meetings with a number of local residents facing issues.

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"Furthermore, I met with the Community Champion Sue Morrison at our local Morrisons store who kindly agreed to offer assistance for the newly opened Community VC Hub at Fron Road. The hub will be open on Christmas Day for those without family, ensuring that no one has to spend Christmas alone and I plan to visit on the day to greet those present.

"There's much more in store for the coming weeks, but so far witnessing the impactful work behind the scenes reaffirms that I'm in the right place, doing the right thing. Our role as councillors is crucial and I'm fully committed to making a positive impact.

"I have upcoming initiatives for the new year, particularly focusing on extending outreach to the community and spotlighting local businesses. The goal is to raise awareness and encourage people to support and shop locally."