By-election (From Barry And District News)

By-election

MAY I, through the pages of your paper correct what I think is a misleading statement made by the leader of Plaid Cymru, Chris Franks, in last weeks article about the Gibbonsdown by-election.

Cllr Franks stated that the Labour Candidate "since the elections in June, has failed to attend one single meeting." The truth was that she was unable to attend the first Barry Town Council meeting in July due to medical reasons and was disqualified from that point.

May I also remind Cllr Franks that during the last Vale Council term a similar situation happened when one of his Plaid Cymru councillors, due to ill health, had not attended a meeting for six months and asked for an extension. Both the Conservative and Labour Councillors agreed to extend the time period, alas it's a pity that his Plaid councillors did not show the same decency for Kalpana.

This by-election will cost the people of Barry over ten thousand pounds to hold, with both the Gibbonsdown Children's Centre and Jenner Park School having to close for the day. It is clear to me that Plaid Cymru only care for their own interests and not the interests of the residents of Barry.

Rob Curtis (Labour Councillor for the Gibbonsdown Ward) Merthyr Dyfan Road Barry