I WAS very pleased to learn that £204,490 of regeneration money has been allocated to Iolo (Treharne) Park.

This has been a victory for the children of the Treharne area, myself and others, who have campaigned tirelessly for this funding and improvements around the Treharne area.

This funding is an important starting point in putting some pride and happiness back into the local community.

Despite this good news for the Treharne area, what I find really surprising is the way the Vale of Glamorgan Council are neglecting the Sports Centre, on Colcot Road.

Having benefited from the facilities here myself, I feel that I am in a good position to represent the users of the facility.

The Sports Centre has not received any real investment for many years and is now in desperate need of some tender loving care.

A range of facilities are available at the centre and it has been used for many purposes.

For example, this centre has represented the very heartbeat of football in and around Barry and the Vale of Glamorgan for many years.

Given this as a backdrop, how acceptable is the decision to award the Holm View Centre £100,000 and the Sports Centre nothing?

Most of the councillors within the Vale making funding decisions will have to regularly pass the heartbeat of Vale of Glamorgan football, yet have chosen to do nothing to help the hundreds of people who pass through the sports centre each week.

A number of recent letters to the Press have also highlighted the state of disrepair of the local playing fields as a result of the neglect of the council.

In my opinion, these facilities should be a priority for any sporting or regeneration grants that come our way.

The facilities within Dyfan ward are a key part of this. Investing in these facilities is vital to supporting the health and well-being of those living in and around the area and of the Vale more generally now and in the future.

Surely, this should be a strategic priority for investment.

I note with interest that the the Conservative Party has distributed three newsletters relating to the Dyfan Ward Bye Election.

However, as yet, they have remained silent in their leaflets as to why this Town Council seat has been vacated.

Do they feel that it is not in the public interest to be open and transparent?

Perhaps this goes some way to explaining the lack of priorities and transparency in decision making.

Jeffrey Heathfield Focus Barry Supporter Address supplied