Buckingham Town Council has a new Councillor in the Council’s first online vote to fill a Councillor’s seat on Monday 13th July. The vacancy arose following the sad death of Derrick Isham earlier this year. It was not permitted to hold a full election due to Covid 19 restrictions on public ballots. The meeting was watched by residents live over the Council’s YouTube channel.
Councillor Ahmed said:
“I am delighted to have been voted in for the role of Buckingham Town Councillor and want to thank all the Councillors who voted for me. This year it has been 30 years since I moved to Buckingham. I was one of the last boarders at the Royal Latin School. My 
parents were so taken by Buckingham that they decided to move here themselves. I moved back permanently to raise my own family 12 years ago. And I’m very happy to have both my sons also attending the Royal Latin School.
I’d never have thought of applying for the role of Councillor, until one of my sons told me about the vacancy after the tragic death of Derek Isham. I remember my predecessor Derek Isham well, not only for being a great Councillor and Mayor but he was also our plumber when I was a child. Buckingham has always been a great place to live and raise a family in. Its history, culture, many small shops, cafes and restaurants teamed with the excellent schools, sporting clubs and great outdoor places make it easy to understand why it has grown considerably as a town over the years and attracted so many new people.
I applied for the role of Councillor so I could help make our town a better place for its residents and balance its history and culture with the modern world. I also want to hear more about the issues that local people face and bring some diversity to the Council. I am particularly interested in hearing about issues faced by younger and minority residents of Buckingham. I am keen to look into the impact of climate change and how we as community can do our part to save our planet. And during these difficult times, I think it is vitally important to help our local businesses and industry. My areas of interest are not just limited to the aforementioned, but also many other issues which affect our residents. I am very grateful for this opportunity and will do my best for the people of Buckingham.”
Successfully co-opted candidates become Councillors in their own right, with immediate effect, and are no different to any other member, except that they are not eligible to receive an annual allowance, having not been elected by public ballot.
The list of candidates and their statements can be seen in the agenda pack for the meeting, which has been published on the Town Council’s website: www.buckingham-tc.gov.uk. The meeting can still be viewed on the Town Council’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC89BUTwVpjAOEIdSlfcZC9Q/ .