Dedicated councillor retires from politics (From Barry And District News)

Dedicated councillor retires from politics

A DINAS Powys councillor has decided to call it a day after more than 20 years as a mainstay in politics.

Mill Road resident Bernard McParlin has been on both the Vale of Glamorgan Council and Dinas Powys Community Council. He is the current chairman of the community council and decided to leave on a high.

He said: "I enjoy helping people - that is why I became a councillor. I think my greatest memory is being part of the centenary celebrations on the community council. We also went to Buckingham Palace to one of the Queen's garden parties when I was a councillor on the Vale."

In his time as a councillor on the Vale of Glamorgan Council he was chairman of the Housing Committee. He was also co-ordinator of the Community Health Council at one time.

During his working life he was in maintenance at Sully Hospital and later at Llandough Hospital.

Bernard is married to Margaret who was a primary school teacher at Victoria, St Helen's and Murch Junior. His son Peter, 46, works for the Home Office.

As a Second World War veteran Bernard fought at Normandy and Arnhem where he was injured on both occasions. He was just 17-and-a-half when he went off to war with the South Wales Borders Regiment and spent more than ten months in hospital due to his injuries.

In his retirement, Bernard wants to take his holidays and said: "I will find my bearings and potter around the house.

"We can also take some holidays because being a councillor is very involved. We could not go away when the council was in session.

"I was so committed to the job and had so much pleasure with the work I did with the council. But now it is time for me to put my feet up and retire while I am the chairman of the community council."