THE colourful rewritten history of the Barry Town Council planning committee by Cllr Karl Kunnell published by the Barry and District needs some clarification.

The key fact is that the town council missed the chance to press for important transport improvements for Barry.

As we had a deadline for replying to the Vale Transport Plan the opportunity to comment was lost.

The people of Barry have been let down by Barry Town Council planning members inability to organise themselves and turn up to meetings.

We need to improve public transport especially bus and train services. Better use should be made of Barry Dock station and we need to encourage safer and more convenient routes for pedestrians.

So we have missed an opportunity to lobby for safety issues to be tackled all thanks to the failure of Labour to turn up to meetings. Plaid councillors remain ambitious for the town and believe we can all make a difference to our community.

At the January 6, planning meeting only five out of eight members were present (three Labour councillors did not attend) Cllr Kunnell bounced discussion of the Vale Transport Plan on the committee without any warning and with no advance paperwork.

The majority of the members of the committee felt this important topic needed a dedicated meeting. The question is why is Labour so disinterested in the town’s affairs?

After all it was the chair Karl Kunnell together with the clerk who arranged a special meeting for January 15. Plaid Cymru did not fix the date.

Unfortunately only Cllr Ian Johnson and myself turned up on January 15, together with two paid Barry Town Council staff. The meeting couldn't go ahead as we needed three councillors. I am at a loss why Cllr Kunnell makes threats to reports me to council, I turned up - he didn’t.

Cllr Shirley Hodges

Plaid Cymru

Leader of the Opposition

Barry Town Council