I WAS interested to read Mr Osborne’s version of the meeting I hosted recently with Barry Island Traders (Barry and District News, June 4).

I don’t think there is any doubt that the Vale of Glamorgan Council and residents of Barry would love to see a quality leisure and tourism facility on Nells Point…… had we received a properly planned and costed proposal. It would be even better if it could include some type of holiday accommodation. That is what we have been working towards and what we still hope to deliver.

The recent meeting with Barry Island Traders was the most positive and upbeat I can remember. The recent investment in the Island, the return of a funfair and the improvements to traffic management were all topics of conversation.

We also talked about the future and how we can build on the new confidence in the Town and Island following the recent regeneration work. We discussed the decision to invite proposals for Nells Point and the old toilet block and the earlier disappointing response. To say bids were refused because they “would have taken too long to build” is laughable as none were sufficiently viable to allow any discussion of timescales.

Shortly we will be inviting new bids for what is the best coastal development location in South Wales. We continue to make a concerted effort to bring quality leisure/tourism facilities to Nells Point, however it should be said that we will not sell Barry Island short by agreeing to a poor quality or inappropriate proposal which would undo all the positive development so far.

Lis Burnett

Cabinet Member for Regeneration

Vale of Glamorgan Council