Chance to vote today (From Barry And District News)

Chance to vote today

POLLING stations will open around Barry today with elections taking place for Barry Town Council, the Vale of Glamorgan Council and the European Parliament.

Booths will be open between 7am and 10pm as locals cast their votes.

The Vale of Glamorgan is currently run by the Conservative Party which has 22 seats.

Labour has 18, Plaid Cymru six and the Liberal Democrats one.

The turnout at the last Vale of Glamorgan council election in 1999 was 49.22 percent.

Cllr Jeffery James, Leader of the Conservative Party in the Vale, says his party will continue to focus on delivering improved services. The party is also committed to building the County Library and delivering the Penarth Headland Link.

Cllr Neil Moore, Leader of the Labour group in the Vale, says his party will go back to basics.

He said: "We will take positive action to punish anti-social behaviour and will ensure that our children are safe and secure both when travelling to school and while they are in school."

Plaid Cymru leader Chris Franks says he wants a detailed economic and environmental plan for Penarth.

He said: "We are also fighting for profits made by the Welsh Development Agency out of the area to be reinvested in the community."

The Green Party has James Owain Davies standing in the Cornerswell ward and Dorothy Elizabeth Wilson in the Stanwell ward.

The Socialist Worker Party has registered Kenneth Evans in Gibbonsdown.

A number of independent candidates are also standing for election.

Neil Brown and John Patrick Donovan are standing in the Illtyd Ward.

In the Llantwit Major ward, Eric Hacker, Gwyn John, Alfred John Readman and David Mansel Thomas have registered as candidates.

Michael John Griffith Morgan is standing in the Peterston-Super-Ely ward.

Ian Barlow and Malcolm Davies are independent candidates in Sully.

Leslie James Walters is standing in St Bride's Major.

The European elections will also be held today. In the European elections, voting is for a party rather than a candidate.

Parties win a number of MEP seats equal to their share of the vote in each region.

In Wales there are four MEP seats.

Ten parties, each with four candidates, are standing for election to the European Parliament in Wales.

The parties are Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives, Plaid Cymru, the UK Independence Party, the Green Party, Respect - the Unity Coalition, the British National Party, the Christian Democratic Party and Forward Wales.