IT WAS fantastic to see Romilly Park bursting at the seams last weekend with the GlastonBARRY festival.

The sell-out event is growing year on year and it’s great to see an event attracting people into the town from different parts of the UK to appreciate Barry and boosting our local tourism industry.

From one superb event to another – the prestigious Vale of Glamorgan Show at Fonmon Castle is edging ever closer.

In my eyes, there’s no better one-day show in Wales and if you’ve got time on Wednesday, August 12, please come and say hello at our Vale Conservatives’ stand.

Turning to the Senedd, and with the summer recess upon us, it’s always a good time to reflect and look ahead to what is a significant nine months.

Of late, we have had a stark reminder of the deeply ingrained incompetence of the Welsh Labour Government; firstly with the RIFW scandal and secondly the continuing decline in cancer waiting times.

To many, the RIFW scandal might not jump off the page. However, when you put it in the terms of holding a winning lottery ticket, but rather than cashing it in with Camelot you simply tear it up, it hits home. And that’s pretty much what Welsh Labour has done.

In their wisdom, Welsh Labour sold valuable parcels of land across Wales for well below the market price through RIFW - an arm’s length body.

A highly critical report has been published which puts the loss to the taxpayer at £15 million – the single largest loss to the taxpayer since devolution began.

Essentially it confirms what we feared all along; that Welsh Labour ministers effectively sanctioned the sale of public land for peanuts. It’s an absolute disgrace and action must be taken.

Unfortunately, there is also no let-up in the cancer waiting times scandal occurring under this Labour administration.

Labour’s target was last met in 2008 and seven years on there seems to be literally no hope it will be met again anytime soon.

According to latest statistics, 84 per cent of patients diagnosed via the ‘urgent suspected route’ started treatment within 62 days. The target is 95 per cent.

This is simply not good enough and with only nine months to the Assembly election – people in Barry are faced with the stark choice – carry on this road to ruin under a Labour Government that takes people for granted in Wales or vote for a new Wales, one that delivers for taxpayers.

One of the most pressing local concerns has been that of the travellers’ site in Sully.

The Vale Council's plan to authorise the former civic amenities site as a travellers' camp is complete madness, particularly since the site is so close to Beechwood College and Ty Hafan Children’s Hospice.