I WANT to start with my congratulations to all of you who were newly or re-elected to serve the Vale of Glamorgan either on the Vale of Glamorgan Council or on Town and Community Councils across the county.

It is an honour to serve the Vale of Glamorgan.

I chaired a meeting on Monday, May 8 attended by DIAG (Docks Incinerator Action Group) and NRW (Natural Resources Wales) to discuss a range of questions to NRW raised at public meetings and as part of the extended Environmental Permit consultation on the Biomass Plant. NRW shared a draft Schedule of questions they are issuing to Biomass to be published later this week. We agreed to meet again when the Company has responded.

NRW welcomes any further representations/questions and concerns which can be sent to permittingconsultations@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk.

I would like to thank the DIAG delegation for the thorough and extensive Evidence they brought to the meeting and the constructive response from NRW.

A new report shows, diabetes care for children and young people in Wales is improving. The Annual Statement of Progress for Diabetes highlights that the number of children and young people with Type 1 diabetes achieving blood glucose in the target range has increased from 17.8 % (2014-15) to 27.2% (2015-16). The number of these with high blood glucose levels reduced from 21.6% (2014-15) to 18.6% (2015-16).

Wales, Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething, said: ‘This report demonstrates that paediatric diabetes care has made significant strides in the quality of care and the outcomes being achieved over the past six years. The impact of the improvement in blood glucose levels, as well as those in some essential care processes, will reduce the risk of future complications significantly. This is good news for children and young people.’

National reading and numeracy tests in Welsh schools are set to replace paper with innovative online assessments that adapt to a pupil’s abilities, Education Secretary Kirsty Williams has announced.

Currently the tests are carried out on paper and they are taken by all pupils in years two to nine to identify what each child needs to focus upon to progress. The new tests will be phased in over three years, starting from the 2018/19 academic year.